Evening Courts can help in faster settlement of cases: Justice Pinto

Mangalore, April 23: Introduction of 'Evening Courts' can help in faster settlement of cases, said Justice B V Pinto, Judge, High Court of Karnataka.

He was speaking at the valedictory function of the 'Regional Advocates' Conference 2012' organized by the Karnataka State Bar Council, Bangalore and Mangalore Bar Association on Monday in the city.

The concept of evening courts has been implemented in other states like Gujarat and a suggestion to implement the same in Karnataka had come up, Justice Pinto said. “The evening courts can be held after court hours and it is being followed in Gujarat. Although I suggested that it be implemented in Karnataka too as it can help in settling many pending cases, it was decided against for the time being owing to shortage of judicial officers”, Justice Pinto said.

Lauding the Karnataka State Bar Council of playing an active role in encouraging young talents in the legal fraternity, Justice Pinto said that the fact that there are 25 people who have earned the rank of Judges from Dakshina Kannada district proves just that.

MLA Yogish Bhat delivering the valedictory address said that judiciary along with the other three pillars of democracy i.e. the executive, legislature, and the media, must keep evaluating themselves and such conferences help in this direction. He suggested that information technology and transparency be maintained to enhance the quality of judiciary.

Resolutions passed after serious discussions in the two day conference include altering of method of representation in State Bar Council to provide enough representation to each district, amendment of rules of election of members of the Bar Council to provide sufficient representation and seats to women members, constitution of a 'Junior Advocates Welfare Trust', requesting the Chief Justice of Supreme Court of India to establish a Bench of the Apex Court in southern India, preferably at Bangalore, requesting Chief Justice of Karnataka to constitute circuit bench of High Court of Karnataka in DK district, and not to appoint a judge to any civil or criminal court unless he or she has put in minimum of seven years of service in the Bar.