Maharashtra cabinet has approved the setting up of four additional family courts in Pune. Fifty four posts will be created for the purpose. According to a government press release, at present there are five family courts functioning in Pune and there are 9,065 cases are pending with these courts. With the inclusion of 34 new villages in the Pune Municipal Corporation, there has been an annual increase of 2,520 cases filed in the court.
A budgetary provision of Rs 4.5crore has been made for these additional courts, which will employ 54 extra staffers. Lawyers practicing family court matters said the move would go a long way to secure speedy justice to litigants and these additional courts should become functional by Diwali.Pune Family Court Lawyers' Association president Vaishali Chandane told TOI, "We had given a representation to deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis during his visit to the city in January. We had sought additional family courts in view of the rising number of cases. The government has considered our proposal."
Another lawyer, Madhavi Potdar, said, "The Family Courts Act is required to be amended because the PMC area has increased after the merger of fringe areas. Cases filed by couples belonging to Parsi and Christian communities are filed at the district court, Pune, under the Special Marriage Act. Cases filed under the Domestic Violence Act are filed before the magisterial courts. Such cases can be tried by the family court if the Act is amended."