The Gram Nyayalayas Act, providing for village-level courts, was passed in:

Parliament passed the Gram Nyayalayas Act in 2008, and it came into force on 2 October 2009. The Act provides for the setting up of Gram Nyayalayas, or village courts, to give rural people quick and affordable access to justice.

Purpose of Gram Nyayalayas:

• To bring justice to the doorstep of rural people.
• To reduce delays and the cost of litigation.
• To reduce the burden of cases on regular courts.
• To help implement the Directive Principle in Article 39A on equal justice and free legal aid.

Structure:

• A Gram Nyayalaya is set up for every panchayat at the intermediate level, or a group of contiguous panchayats.
• It is headed by a Nyayadhikari, who is a judicial officer with the same powers, salary and benefits as a Judicial Magistrate of the First Class.
• The Nyayadhikari is appointed by the state government in consultation with the High Court.

Jurisdiction:

• It has both civil and criminal jurisdiction over specified matters.
• It can try criminal offences punishable with imprisonment up to two years, and certain civil disputes such as those over property, wages and family matters listed in the Schedules.
• It is a mobile court and can hold sittings in villages.

Procedure:

• It follows summary procedure in criminal cases.
• It is not strictly bound by the Indian Evidence Act and can follow principles of natural justice.
• It tries to settle disputes by conciliation wherever possible.

Implementation:

• The number of Gram Nyayalayas actually set up has been far below the number planned.
• Some states have not notified them at all, citing a lack of funds and the existence of other forums.
• The Supreme Court has asked the states to set them up.

Recommendations:

The Law Commission, in its 114th report (1986), had recommended the setting up of Gram Nyayalayas.

Why not the other options?

• ✗2002, 2005 and 2012 do not match the year of the Act.