Bombay high court decries Maharashtra government apathy in setting up fast-track courts to try crimes against women

The Bombay high court has rapped the Maharashtra govt for its lackadaisical attitude in setting up more fast-track courts to deal with crimes against women, as directed by the Supreme Court.

A division bench of chief justice Mohit Shah and justice MS Sonak reproached the govt after it was pointed out that despite the SC order, the govt had not yet filed an affidavit giving details pertaining to fast-track courts trying crime against women.

This March, HC had directed the govt to furnish details of existing courts and the number of posts of judges. The court was hearing a public interest litigation on the need to set up more fast-track courts to try cases relating to offences against women.

The court had then given the govt four weeks to file a reply. However, the affidavit hasn't been filed to date.

"Why can't you (govt) file the affidavit?" asked the chief justice, who remarked it was a serious issue.

The PIL was filed by social activist Vihar Durve on March 6, accusing the govt of not being serious in setting up additional courts for speedy disposal of cases involving crimes against women. The petition states that govt apathy had been continuing despite repeated requests from the HC following the 2012 Supreme Court directive.

The information Durve obtained under the Right to Information Act shows that the govt had been sitting on the HC requests to create 10% additional posts in district courts to try such offences.

HC has been communicating with the govt on the issue since May 2010, but the govt has kept on raising one query or the other. The proposal is now pending with the finance dept, which has sought further clarifications.

Interestingly, during the 150th anniversary of the Advocates Association of Western India in February, chief minister Prithviraj Chavan had said the govt was in the process of setting up more fast-track courts.

"We have constituted 100 fast-track courts; 13 special courts to try offences against women have already been set up and 12 more will be set up soon," Chavan had said.