Govt Must Stop Overloading Supreme Court With Statutory Appeals, Should Have A Litigation Policy : Attorney General R Venkataramani

The Attorney General for India R Venkataramani on Saturday called for a rethink of the statutory provisions which provide direct appeals to Supreme Court from the orders of various Tribunals, as they result in overloading the Supreme Court, converting it into a "small causes court".

"It is important that the Government stops overloading Supreme Court with endless statutory appeals along side seamless & huge flow of cases from High Courts. The conversion of Supreme Court into a small causes court must stop", AG said while speaking at the Constitution Day celebrations held at the Supreme Court.

Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi and Union Minister for Law & Justice Kiren Rijiju were present at the function. Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, judges of the Supreme Court and Chief Justices of other High Courts were also present at the event.

The AG also stressed that to stem the flow of work to the Supreme Court, it is important to "decongest our High Courts". "Our property dispute laws must undergo review so that there are settlement commissions away from adversarial motions. Our Family Courts must become family comfort institutions", he said.

For doing all that, we need a permanent Law Reforms Commission with legal reforms wing, court reforms wing, research wing and academic wing linked to law schools. 

The AG further highlighted the need to have a litigation policy for the government, so that every matter does not become a matter of litigation. Only complex legal issues must go to Courts.

"For long governments have been talking about litigation policy. There is no reason why this policy cannot emerge. Every department must have a resolution wing with competent and independent legal equipments to resolve facts based issues.  And every matter need not be a legal dispute matter. Only complex matters with legal issues which cannot be resolved must go for institutional resolution. I am confident the Government will give an ear to an earnest Attorney General to draw a quick roadmap", Venkataramani said. The need to come to Court for matters related to pension, salary or retiral benefits must cease.

The AG also underlined the need to make legal services available at grassroot levels. Services of legal aid defenders must be available 24-hours like hospital services and each Panchayat must have a legal aid wing.

"Bharat can lead the way by setting its own benchmark. I will like to looking forward to a day when the West may come for learning from us on justice standards. Colonialism of minds and people will then cease", the AG before concluding his speech with a poem written for the motherland.