**Executive Summary:**
This document addresses a parliamentary question regarding the establishment of Gram Nyayalayas (village courts) in Assam under the Gram Nyayalayas Act, 2008. It details the pending cases in Assam's district courts and Guwahati High Court, clarifies the status of Gram Nyayalayas in Assam, and outlines the central government's support for implementing Gram Nyayalayas across states, including the North Eastern region. The document also highlights the positive outcomes of functional Gram Nyayalayas in other states.
**Key Points / Main Content:**
* **Pending Cases in Assam:**
* District Courts: 5,47,263 total cases (1,08,997 civil and 4,38,266 criminal).
* Guwahati High Court: 62,888 total cases (46,526 civil and 16,362 criminal).
* **Gram Nyayalayas in Assam:**
* No Gram Nyayalayas have been notified, established, or made functional in Assam.
* The Gram Nyayalayas Act, 2008 allows, but does not mandate, state governments to establish Gram Nyayalayas after consulting with the High Court.
* **Central Government Support for Gram Nyayalayas:**
* The Department of Justice encourages states/UTs and High Courts to establish Gram Nyayalayas.
* The Gram Nyayalaya Scheme, a sub-scheme of the Centrally Sponsored Scheme for Development of Judicial Infrastructure, provides financial assistance.
* One-time assistance up to Rs. 18 lakhs per Gram Nyayalaya for establishment.
* Operational assistance for the first three years, up to Rs. 3.20 lakhs per Gram Nyayalaya per year.
* **Objectives and Benefits of Gram Nyayalayas:**
* The Gram Nyayalayas Act, 2008 aims to provide accessible justice at the grassroots level.
* The Act includes provisions for speedy trials, mobile courts, summary trials, plea bargaining, conciliation, and legal aid.
* A third-party evaluation indicates that Gram Nyayalayas have been successful in delivering social justice to marginalized communities.
* 331 operational Gram Nyayalayas in 10 states have disposed of 4,11,071 cases as of 30.06.2025.
**Impact Analysis**
* **Government of Assam:**
* *Impact:* The Assam government is responsible for deciding whether to establish Gram Nyayalayas in consultation with the Guwahati High Court. The absence of Gram Nyayalayas in Assam means the state is not currently leveraging this mechanism for accessible rural justice.
* *Action Required:* Consider establishing Gram Nyayalayas, potentially in consultation with the Guwahati High Court, and utilize central government schemes for financial assistance.
* **Guwahati High Court:**
* *Impact:* Consulted by the State Government of Assam, if the government intends to establish Gram Nyayalayas.
* *Action Required:* Provide guidance and input to the Assam government regarding the establishment of Gram Nyayalayas within the state.
* **Citizens of Assam (especially in rural areas):**
* *Impact:* Currently do not benefit from the potential for speedy and accessible justice offered by Gram Nyayalayas.
* *Action Required:* Advocate for the establishment of Gram Nyayalayas to improve access to justice in rural areas.
* **Department of Justice, Government of India:**
* *Impact:* Responsible for encouraging and supporting the establishment of Gram Nyayalayas across the country.
* *Action Required:* Continue to promote the establishment of Gram Nyayalayas in Assam and other North Eastern states, providing financial and logistical support through existing schemes.
Key Entities Referenced
Gram Nyayalayas: Village courts established under the Gram Nyayalayas Act, 2008, to provide accessible justice at the grassroots level.
Gram Nyayalayas Act, 2008: Indian legislation enacted to establish Gram Nyayalayas for providing access to justice to citizens at their doorsteps.
Assam: A state in North Eastern India, specifically mentioned regarding the establishment of Gram Nyayalayas.
Guwahati High Court: The High Court of Assam, Nagaland, Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh. Mentioned in relation to pending cases.
Ministry of Law and Justice: The Indian government ministry responsible for legal affairs, including the implementation of the Gram Nyayalayas scheme.
Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal: Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Law and Justice; and Minister of State in the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs.
North Eastern region: Refers to the northeastern states of India, where there is a perceived delay in the implementation of the Gram Nyayalayas initiative.
Gram Nyayalaya Scheme: A subscheme of the Centrally Sponsored Scheme for Development of Judicial Infrastructure, providing financial assistance for the establishment and operation of Gram Nyayalayas.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF LAW AND JUSTICE
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3388
TO BE ANSWERED ON FRIDAY, THE 8TH AUGUST, 2025
Establishment of Gram Nyayalayas in Assam
3388. Shri Pradyut Bordoloi:
Will the Minister of LAW AND JUSTICE be pleased to state:
(a) the number of cases pending before district courts in Assam and the Guwahati High Court;
(b) whether any Gram Nyayalayas have been notified, established, or made functional in Assam
under the provisions of the Gram Nyayalayas Act, 2008, if so, the details thereof and if not, the
reasons therefor;
(c) whether the Government has observed any measurable benefits or positive outcomes from the
functioning of Gram Nyayalayas in States where they have been established, particularly in terms
of speedy and accessible rural justice;
(d) if so, the reasons for the continued delay in bringing the initiative to the North Eastern region;
and
(e) whether any steps are being undertaken to support and encourage its implementation in the
North Eastern region, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF LAW AND
JUSTICE; AND MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS
(SHRI ARJUN RAM MEGHWAL)
(a) As per information available on the National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG) portal, the details
of cases pending in district courts of Assam and the Guwahati High Court are as under: -
Court Civil Criminal Total
District Courts in Assam 1,08,997 4,38,266 5,47,263
Guwahati High Court 46,526 16,362 62,888
(b) to (e) The Government of Assam has not notified or made operational any Gram
Nyayalaya in the State of Assam. As per the Gram Nyayalaya Act, 2008, the State Government,
after consultation with the High Court, may, by notification, establish one or more Gram Nyayalayasfor every Panchayat at intermediate level or a group of contiguous Panchayats at intermediate level
in a district or where there is no Panchayat at intermediate level in any State, for a group of
contiguous Gram Panchayats. The Act, therefore, does not make setting up of Gram Nyayalayas
mandatory. However, the Department of Justice has been encouraging the States/ UTs and the High
Courts for establishment of Gram Nyayalayas. In order to support the establishment and effective
functioning of the Gram Nyayalayas, the Department has been implementing the Gram Nyayalaya
Scheme, which is a Sub-scheme of Centrally Sponsored Scheme for Development of Judicial
Infrastructure. As per the extant guidelines, the Central Government provides one time assistance
to States/UTs for setting up of Gram Nyayalayas, subject to a ceiling of Rs. 18 lakhs per Gram
Nyayalaya. Further, the Central Government provides assistance for operation of the Gram
Nyayalayas for the first three years, subject to a ceiling of Rs. 3.20 lakhs per Gram Nyayalayas per
year.
The Gram Nyayalayas Act, 2008 was enacted for the establishment of Gram Nyayalayas at
the grass root level for the purposes of providing access to justice to the citizens at their doorsteps
and to ensure that opportunities for securing justice are not denied to any citizen by reason of social,
economic or other disabilities and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto. In order to
meet these objectives, the Act has several provisions for speedy trial and disposal of cases such as
holding of mobile courts by the Nyayadhikaris, summary trial for criminal cases, plea bargaining,
efforts for conciliation and settlement in civil cases, legal aid to the accused etc. A recent third-party
evaluation of the Gram Nyayalayas Scheme has, in its findings, brought out that the Gram
Nyayalayas have been successful in achieving social justice by providing accessible legal recourse
to the marginalized communities in the rural areas. As per the details available on the Gram
Nyayalayas portal, 331 Gram Nyayalayas operational in 10 states have disposed of 4,11,071 cases
till 30.06.2025.
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