The High Court of Karnataka has directed the State’s Chief Secretary to initiate the process of developing a software for managing the litigations before quasi-judicial bodies of 15 departments. It has suggested convening meetings of principal secretaries of all such departments and submit proceedings before the court on March 17.
Justice A.N. Venugopala Gowda passed the order after noticing enormous delay by deputy commissioners in discharging their quasi-judicial functions. It was hearing a petition through which the court has been monitoring steps taken by the State for effective management of litigations before various quasi-judicial authorities in the Revenue Department, including the land tribunals.
As the Revenue Department, on the suggestions made by the High Court, has now developed a software through the National Informatics Centre (NIC) on the lines of the civil courts’ case information system, the court felt the need for having a similar software for handling a large number of cases pending before the quasi-judicial authorities of the other departments.
Meanwhile, the court said that as the quasi-judicial authorities are required to decide cases on summary procedure, the disposal of cases cannot be delayed on account of shortage of manpower. It asked the Finance Department to consider the proposal made for increasing the staff strength, including the officers, in various departments of the government that deal with quasi-judicial work.
