TDM demands regular judge for Family Court
Source: Chronicle News Service

Thoubal, April 11 2022: Thoubal District Bar Association (TDBA) vice president Khangembam Arunkumar has urged authority concerned to appoint a regular judge for Family Court, Thoubal which has remained without one since its inauguration on July 16, 2017 by chief minister N Biren.

The association also demanded transfer of Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM), Thoubal alleging that the CJM is not competent in discharging duty of his office.

Addressing a press meet at TDBA office, Thoubal Court Complex on Monday, Arunkumar contended that the situation is such that advocates have to attend the Family Court daily and wait if their cases will come up and most of .the time it is postponed as there is no regular judge.

The Family Court hears many urgent cases but due to absence of regular judge, the Court is not taking up the cases on time.

Irked by this, people who approach the Court often blame the advocates consequently making life difficult for the advocates as well as their clients, he mentioned.

Kh Arunkumar also conveyed that the Association has repeatedly submitted memorandum in this regard to authority concerned but no positive action has been forthcoming so far.

Family Court, Thoubal caters to both Thoubal and Kakching districts.

As Family Courts of Imphal East and West have regular judges there is valid reason why the same should be denied to Family Court, Thoubal, he maintained.

As the Court was inaugurated by the BJP-led government, which returned to power the establishment owe an explanation as to how the Court can function without a regular judge.

While absence of regular judge has been rendering useless existence of a family court, frequent postponement is also creating serious problems for the advocates and public, he decried.

Further alleging that the present CJM Thoubal is incompetent in fulfilling his duties, Arunkumar stated that the Association has complained about this many times to authority concerned but till now no concrete steps have been taken up.

The relationship between the Bar and the Court has become strained with the CJM Thoubal not listening to any request from the Bar.

Even High Court judges are transferred on a 3-year rotation basis, but the present CJM Thoubal has been stationed in the district for five years now.

TDBA has raised complaint about this but nothing has happened.

Due to CJM Thoubal's working style, people of the district are suffering, he further claimed.

The TDBA VP warned that if the authority concerned does not take any action in the said matter within a week they will boycott Thoubal Court with support from Manipur Bar Association along with launching peaceful agitation.

The press meet was also attended by various TDBA members and advocates.

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