Karnataka Cabinet approves ‘Law and Policy 2023’ to speed up dispute resolution and combat corruption

The Karnataka government on Thursday approved the ‘Law and Policy 2023: A Step Towards Renewed Commitment’ aimed at speedy resolution of disputes through courts, quasi-judicial bodies and alternative dispute resolution systems, combating corruption and ensuring good governance.

The Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah approved a policy that will hold public servants accountable for miscalculations, misinformation, wilful neglect in discharge of duties and misleading the government and the public.

Officers are personally responsible

“No officer is authorized to do anything that is not sanctioned by law. The government will not be held accountable for such acts, and the officer will be held personally liable,” the policy states.

Noting that “corruption in public office is carcinogenic”, the policy aims to combat corruption, taking appropriate measures in the form of providing online services and a file tracking system to reduce people-to-people contact between citizens and officials.

Wajja Mukta Gramas

The Department of Law under the chairmanship of Minister HK Patil presented a policy to establish Wajja Mukta Gramas (Litigation Free Villages). The laws would be suitably amended to resolve disputes through Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) systems like Lok Adalats, negotiation, mediation, conciliation and arbitration, both for cases pending in courts and at the pre-litigation stage.

It also provides for the establishment of fast-track courts to hear cases against the government involving pension and compensation issues.

The 23-page policy document noted the involvement of some extra-constitutional and illegal organisations operating to resolve disputes between individuals involving large sums of money or prime properties in urban areas. “Efforts will be made to overcome this problem by introducing judicial reforms so that people can use legitimate institutions to resolve their disputes rather than extra-legal bodies,” the policy said.

Literacy Campaign

The new policy also envisages a mass literacy drive to achieve constitutional literacy and respect for human rights and dignity. It said a body would be set up to oversee litigations between the government and individuals/officials and suggest to the government how such litigations should be conducted at the level of the relevant department so as to avoid unnecessary litigations against the government.

In addition to adopting measures to enforce court rulings, judgments and orders, it stated that “the government must not unnecessarily give preference to appeals when justice has been done to a citizen.”

It is proposed to formulate the law in plain language and publish it, and ensure strict enforcement of the law on the prevention of sexual harassment in the workplace.