KANKAI: The quasi-judicial committees of most of the local levels in Jhapa have settled the cases related to land dispute and transactions (give and take) through mutual discussion and mediation. Locals are feeling relief from justice dispensation works being effectively carried out at local government of late.
Majority of the complaints are being addressed in settlement with some local levels establishing ward-level mediation centers. As many as 84 cases were registered at judicial committee of Jhapa Rural Municipality, which is around 16-km South from the East-West Highway, by the mid-June of fiscal year 2018/19.
Though consensus is somehow coming closer on 159 cases registered, other 360 applications were settled through mutual discussion, shared Kunti Devi Budhathoki, vice-chair of Jhapa Rural Municipality and coordinator of judicial committee. Most of the cases so far received at judicial committee are related to land dispute, irrigation and give and take, she informed.
Among other cases in general are family partition, cooperatives, institutional, local government public plan, canal, wages, defamation, loss of crops and cattle, contractual settlement, partners’ dispute on enterprises and foreign employment. Bhoj Kumari Nepal, deputy mayor of Jhapa-based Shivasatakchhi municipality and coordinator of judicial committee, said majority of the cases registered at the justice committee during the fiscal year of 2075/76 BS (2018/19) have been settled through mediation process. She further informed total 46 cases were registered by the end of Asar (mid-June) of 2075/76 BS.
The highest number of cases registered so far is related to land dispute followed by domestic violence, give and take and family partition. The municipality had cleared 15 cases through mediation in the fiscal year, Nepal further shared. Likewise, Kankai municipality also settled 60 out of 126 cases registered at its judicial committee in the fiscal years 2074/75 and 2075/76. Manju Prasain, deputy mayor of Kankai, said that they have been settling the cases through mediation so that both sides can return home with happiness.
The people’s elected representatives at local level are undertaking the responsibility of justice dispensation in accordance with the Article 217 of the Nepal Constitution. Locals are feeling respite from justice delivery at local level with enhanced access to justice and settlement of cases through mediation.
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