Govt to push bill to remove 65 more obsolete laws in Parliament session: Kiren Rijiju
Panaji (PTI): Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju on Monday said the government would push a bill in the Parliament session, which will resume on March 13, to repeal 65 more obsolete laws and other such provisions.
Addressing the 23rd Commonwealth Law Conference in Goa, the minister informed
that more than 4.98 crore cases are pending in various courts in India and the pendency would be handled using technology, with a "paperless judiciary" being the ultimate aim of the government.
"Today, in every part of our country, every citizen is a beneficiary of the welfare steps taken by the Government of India. As a welfare state, it is very important that we listen to every individual," he said.
Rijiju said the Modi government has been at the forefront of taking various steps, especially in creating "ease of living" for common citizens. "Policies of the government regarding the ease of living are successful," he said.
The law minister said the government believes that laws are for the people and if laws become obstacles and compliances become a burden on the lives of people, then such provisions must be done away with.
"In the last eight-and-a-half years, we have removed 1,486 obsolete and redundant laws. In the ongoing budget session, which will resume on March 13, I am going to push a bill to remove another 65 bills (laws) and other provisions that are obsolete," he added.
Rijiju said the government wants a reduction in the pendency of the cases.
"More than 4 crore 98 lakh cases are pending in various courts of India. It is not easy to reduce the pendency simply because new cases are double the number of cases being disposed of. Indian Judges are working extraordinarily hard but it is becoming more challenging," he added.
The minister said, in normal circumstances, a judge handles 50-60 cases a day on average. "Some judges have disposed of 200 cases in a day but the pendency of cases is on the rise".
Rijiju said the government is using technology to handle this situation.
"We have started e-courts and special projects-phase III,.. our ultimate target is to make Indian Judiciary paperless," he said, adding that the government is also exploring other dispute redressal mechanisms like arbitration and mediation.
"Very soon we will be able to push through Mediation Bill so that mediation and arbitration can be institutionalized in the country," he added.
Goa Governor P S Sreedharan Pillai, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and others were present during the inauguration of the five-day conference on Monday.
Representatives from 52 countries are participating in the event.
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T'gana RTC strike: Talks between govt, employees successful
Hyderabad (PTI): Talks between employees of Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (RTC) who were on strike and the state government concluded successfully on Friday as the government agreed to the key demands of the workmen.
Following a day-long marathon of talks between the leaders of the employees' Joint Action Committee (JAC) and the cabinet sub-committee, the government announced after midnight that it acceded to the demands, including a merger of RTC with the government, 11 per cent pay revision and elections to the employees' unions.
A committee comprising officials and employee leaders would be appointed over the merger of RTC with the government, it said.
The RTC management has also agreed to address the remaining issues as well, an official release said.
The employees would call off their strike and the RTC buses would hit the roads shortly, it said.
The employees had been on an indefinite strike since April 22 over a series of demands, including the merger of RTC with the government.
Earlier in the day, a driver of the RTC, who attempted suicide on April 23 during the strike, died at a hospital here in the early hours of Friday.
Shankar Goud, a 55-year-old driver, set himself ablaze by pouring petrol at Narsampet in Warangal district when the employees were staging a protest on Thursday in support of their demands.
Goud suffered serious burns, was initially admitted to a state-run hospital in Warangal, and later shifted to a super-speciality hospital in Hyderabad for advanced treatment.
"He succumbed (to injuries) at about 1.30 am on Friday," a senior official said.
The driver’s body was taken to his relative’s village, Muttojipet in Warangal district, for funeral rites.
Tension prevailed in Muttojipet as his family members and RTC employees attempted to take the body to the Narsampet bus station, where he worked, to enable his colleagues to pay their last respects. However, police did not permit this, citing law-and-order concerns.
This led to a deadlock before the funeral could proceed.
Union Minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar criticised the Telangana government for not allowing the body to be taken to the Narsampet bus station.
Kumar, Minister of State (Home), visited Muttojipet village in Warangal district, where the funeral was held, and paid homage to Goud.
“They (family members) want to take the body to the bus depot for five minutes. Is the RTC bus depot in Pakistan or Bangladesh? They are emotionally attached to taking the body there. The government is hurting sentiments and creating fear among RTC employees,” Kumar told reporters.
He also expressed anger at the police for not allowing the body to be taken to the bus station and staged a protest, according to a release from his office.
RTC employees and BJP workers attempted to take the mortal remains in an ambulance to Narsampet, but were stopped by the police.
Later, after discussions with the police, the family members and RTC employees agreed to conduct the funeral in the village.
Sanjay Kumar, stating he would abide by the family’s decision, left the village after the funeral was conducted there.
Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar said an ex gratia of Rs 10 lakh, a house, and a government job would be provided to the kin of Goud.
Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy expressed shock over the employee’s death and conveyed deep condolences to the grieving family, according to the release.
The RTC employees’ JAC had earlier announced an agitation programme from April 24 to 29, including silent marches and submission of memorandums to MLAs and other leaders.
