Bhubaneswar: As per the recommendation of Orissa High Court, the State Government has decided to establish 34 courts in different districts.
The High-Level Committee headed by Finance Minister Niranjan Pujari had recently approved the proposal for establishment of the courts.
Law Minister Pratap Jena, Principal Secretary Finance Vishal Dev and Principal Secretary Law Pratap Kumar Patra are the other members of the panel.
The Committee has given in-principle approval for establishment of Special Judge (Vigilance) at Parlakhemundi in Gajapati district and seven
Additional District & Session Judge courts at Bhubaneswar (two), Soro & Jaleswar in Balasore district, Chandikhole in Jajpur, Koraput and R Udayagiri in Gajapati district.
The State Government has also approved the set up of five Civil Judge (Senior Division) courts at Ranapur in Nayagarh district, Baramba & Narasinghpur in Cuttack district, Sorada in Ganjam and Rampur in Sonepur.
Civil Judge (Junior Division) courts will be established at 11 places including Tusura (Bolangir), Dhenkanal, Soro, Simulia, Bahanaga & Jaleswar (Balsore), Chandikhole (Jajpur), Barkote (Deogarh), Nuagaon (Jagatsinghpur) and K. Nuagaon & Khajuripada (Kandhamal).
The Committee has also recommended setting up of 10 Commercial Courts at Cuttack Sadar, Bhubaneswar, Puri (two), Balasore Sadar, Bolangir Sadar, Kendrapara Sadar, Jeypore, Rourkela and one Leave Reserve court.
At that meeting, a budget of Rs 21.26 crore has been approved for establishment of these courts in the State. While Rs 5.20 crore has been allocated for establishment of Additional District & Session Judge courts, Rs 3.60 crore given for Civil Judge (Senior Division) courts, Rs 6.16 crore for Civil Judge (Junior Division) courts and Rs 6.30 crore for Commercial Courts
Besides, the panel has given post facto approval for establishment of four Commercial Courts at Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Sambalpur and Berhampur and also the court of Civil Judge (Senior Division) at Odagaon in Nayagarh district.
The Law Department has already notified these courts, sources said.
It was further decided at the meeting that the remaining courts as recommended by the Orissa High Court will be established in a phased manner.