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Posted on Monday, January 20 @ 10:29:12 EST BST
Barring five dzongkhags and a few exceptional cases, there are no pending cases that are more than two years old in the other dzongkhag courts, according to judiciary officials.
The 2002 case report prepared by the judiciary states that the 24 courts in the country decided a total of 8,804 cases last year. There were only 66 appeals to the high court.
Paro dzongkhag had the highest number of cases, 2,225 in all, of which 1,484 were pending from 2001. Of the 664 cases settled last year, one appealed to the high court. According to Paro dzongkhag court Registrar, Goembo Dorji, lack of computers and manpower had hindered the court process in the dzongkhag.
The Trashigang dzongkhag court solved all 398 pending and new cases registered to achieve a zero case record in 2002. Of the 398 cases, 177 cases were pending from the previous year. “We increased the court hearings from the usual five to 12 a day,” Trashigang Drangpon Sangay Tenzin told Kuensel. “Most people are not punctual for court hearings so we had to resort to using the police if people refuse to show up after the third summons,” he said.
Cases related to loans, land ownership, and marital affairs were the most common, said the Trashigang Drangpon. “Without the close cooperation of the village leaders and the police we would not have had the zero case record,” he said.
A case information report from the high court also stated that about 4,721 cases were settled in less than 108 days of registration in 24 courts around the country last year. In 1992, only six cases were settled in less than 108 days.
Trashiyangtse court alone settled about 539 cases in less than 108 days last year. Mongar dzongkhag registered 814 new cases in 2002, the maximum number in the country. Speaking to Kuensel, the Chief Justice, Lyonpo Sonam Tobgye, said that with the reformed court procedures, the hearing system was streamlined and judicial processes made efficient.
“The number of days to attend the courts are reduced, the arguments are more exhaustive, repetitive submissions are avoided and evasive rebuttals are eliminated in the new system” he said.
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