Lack of legal professionals hits justice delivery

Pokhara, July 17

Manang District Court is struggling to provide legal service to local service seekers for want of legal professionals in the court.

Only one case was registered at District Court in Manang in the fiscal of 2014/15.

After judicial deliberation was held in different villages in the presence of the district judge, nine cases were filed at the court in the fiscal year 2015/16. Lack of legal professionals, however, has hit justice delivery hard at the court.

Muna Adhikary Dhakal, a staff at the court, said they were having a hard time proceeding with cases for want of lawyers. Dhakal said a property dispute case filed by a woman some time back was left unsettled owing to shortage of lawyers though efforts were made to settle the case through reconciliation.

“We can only suggest and file the case. It is the lawyers who write the application and the case. However, the district does not have a single law professional,” she said.

Registrar Khadga Bahadur Shrestha of Pokhara Appellate Court said legal professionals do not go to Manang as very few cases are registered at the district court.

Earlier, a team led by Dambar Bahadur Shahi, chief judge of Pokhara Appellate Court had reached Manang district court to monitor the situation. Staffers at the district court had reported to the team that they were having a tough time for want of legal professionals.

Shahi said they were mulling over appointing legal professionals on salary basis and deploying them to Manang district.

Dhakal expressed hope that the problem might be solved with the appointment of salaried legal professionals. “I hope things get better after that,” Dhakal said. Since minor issues and disputes are resolved at the village level, very few cases reach the district court in Manang. Of the nine cases filed in fiscal of 2015/16, six cases were settled.

With nominal cases registered at the court, a judge appointed on the basis of quota is sent to other places on periodic service.

Manang court Judge Shyam Sundar Adhikary, who was appointed on quota basis for periodic service is from District Court Bara.

Of late, Judge Arjun Adhikary, of Lamjung District Court, has been visiting Manang to look into cases whenever needed.

Registrar Shrestha said appointing salaried legal professionals would be effective in dispensing justice to the locals. “Justice and verdicts are two different things. Verdict is issued on the ground of evidences.

If not satisfied with the verdict, the case can be registered at the appellate court. And for all the legal procedures to run smoothly, we are in dire need of legal professionals in the district.”