The Lok Sabha was on Friday informed that only 10 States have come forward to set up courts in rural areas under the Gram Nyayalaya Act to provide access to justice to people at their doorsteps.
Giving this information, Union Minister S P Singh Baghel regretted that 15 states had considered the scheme but only 10 have so far opted for it.
He was replying to a question from BJP MP Aparajita Sarangi who had said 4.5 crore cases are pending in different courts and of them over 87 per cent pendency cases are in the lower courts and there is need to expand the role of Gram Nyayalaya to deliver quick justice.
At present, a total of 258 Gram Nyayalayas (rural courts) are functioning even as notifications had been issued for the setting up of 476 Gram Nyayalayas, he added.
The Gram Nyayalaya Act 2008 stipulates for establishment of courts at intermediate panchayat level to provide access to justice to people at their door steps.
The minister said it is not mandatory for the states to implement the Act.
"It (implementation of the Act) is advisory," he said.
Sarangi had sought to know from the government about the steps being taken to set up Gram Nyayalayas in the country, stressing that there is an "urgent need" to increase the capability of the country's justice delivery system.