More than seven thousand cases are pending before the Gujarat State Co-operative tribunal, a reply to a Right to Information (RTI) application has revealed. The information was sought by the Gujarat Co-operative Tribunal Bar Association. The Association had sought details of cases registered, disposed off and pending each year from 1960 to 2008.
“In1994 there were only 424 pending cases before tribunal as there were four judges to hear the cases. In 2008 the numbers of pending cases reached to 5587 as there were only two judges. We got all the details in reply to RTI plea filed by bar association to co-operative department of the state.” stated Hitendra Shah, President of Gujarat Co-operative Tribunal Bar Association.
“Every year average 500 new cases are filed in the tribunal and there are only two judges to hear the cases, so the toll of pending cases has reached above 7000.” Shah added.
In the year 2007, Gujarat government had amended the Gujarat Cooperative SocitiesAct, 1965. Under Rule 40-A and 78, the qualifications for appointment as judges to the Co-operative Tribunal stated that state government shall appoint a person who is or has been a judge of a Gujarat high court or is or has been a district judge, to be the President of the Gujarat Co-operative Tribunal.
“In 2007 there were four judges but after the amendment, two judges have resigned as they did not possess any legal qualification as per to the amendment. Presently, district judge HP Patel and assistant district judge AG Raval are the only two presiding judges.” said shah.
The Gujarat high court had earlier ordered the state government to fill the vacancies of judges at the tribunal.
A practicing lawyer at the tribunal lamented the present situation at the the tribunal and hoped that the government will take necessary action of apointing more judges.
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