NJPMC for computerisation of revenue record

National Judicial Policy Making Committee (NJPMC) has resolved to make an effective strategy for implementing the National Judicial Policy 2009 so that the dispensation of speedy justice could be ensured to the public. The NJPMC considered various options to make this policy more comfortable for the litigants in a two-day meeting, which was held here at Lahore High Court (LHC) under the chairmanship of the Chief Justice of Pakistan, Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry.
The meeting was attended by Justice Tariq Parvez Khan, Chief Justice Peshawar High Court, Justice Khawaja Muhammad Sharif, Chief Justice Lahore High Court, Justice Sarmad Jalal Osmany, Chief Justice High Court of Sindh, Justice Qazi Faez Isa, Chief Justice High Court of Balochistan and Dr Faqir Hussain, Registrar, Supreme Court of Pakistan/Secretary, National Judicial Policy Making Committee.
The meeting was convened in the aftermath of the judgement of the 14-member bench on July 31,2008 and the new elevation of Judges of the High Courts in the last few weeks. The main focus was on the full and effective implementation of the NJP launched on June 1, 2009. NJPMC after through consideration resolved to set up an effective monitoring mechanism for achieving the twin objectives of the Policy namely eradication of corruption in the judiciary and expeditious dispensation of the justice to the litigant public.
The committee examined the various proposals, recommendations received from Judges, Bar Members and civil society organisations on ways and means to achieving the goals of NJP. The NJPMC will examine all these proposals with a view to further fine tune the Policy and improve its implementation.
The committee resolved that the provincial High Courts should amend the recruitment rules to enable them for conducting test/interview for recruitment of judicial officers in the light of Sindh High Court's judgement to appoint the Judicial officers.
The committee further resolved that the High Courts could appoint judicial officers for special courts by transfer amongst the serving judges or by directly recruiting qualified and experienced lawyers.
The committee further resolved that the special courts/tribunals functioning in the provinces fall under the judicial control of the superior courts, hence their functioning should be supervised by the High Courts. NJPMC decided that except in public interest or in the interest of institution or unavoidable circumstances, the judicial officers need not to be transferred frequently before completion of three-year service in the station.
The Committee took notice of the prevalent culture of corruption in Revenue Department and rising complaints of corruption against patwari and the increasing trend of litigation on property related matters due to malpractice in Revenue Department. It directed that the chief secretaries of the provinces should initiate steps for computerisation of revenue record as currently being carried out in the Punjab to eradicate corruption and streamline the functioning of revenue department and also formulate an effective policy for corruption free revenue department.
Such policy must be prepared within three months and forward to the Chief Justices of the respective High Courts for consideration in the meeting of NJPMC.