Mira Road Court Set to Begin Operations in March 2025 After 11-Year Wait | File Photo
Mira Bhayandar: After a delay of nearly 11 years, the Judicial Magistrate First-Class (JMFC) and Civil Judge (junior division) court in Mira Road will finally start dispensing justice from March, this year.
While 8, March has been selected as the tentative inaugural day, the schedule and other fine-tuning arrangements of the inaugural ceremony will be finalised by a committee led by a judge from the Bombay High Court, informed members of the Mira Bhayandar Lawyers Association.
After the government gave its nod for setting up the court in 2013, it took seven years for the structure to be completed on a plot admeasuring around 4,353 square meters reserved for the purpose in Hatkesh area of Mira Road and another three years for the final touches including interiors, furniture, fixture, and other residual works.
The FPJ has been highlighting the issue for the past couple of years, following which the main hurdle was cleared in September, last year, after the government passed a resolution clearing the decks for the appointment of a civil judge (junior division) and recruitment of 11 regular staffers including- assistant superintendent, shorthand writer (grade III), senior clerks (2 posts), junior clerks (4 posts) and bailiffs (3 posts).
This apart from recruiting four employees including- two peons, a gatekeeper and a sweeper on an outsourcing basis. However, the proposal of allocating funds had remained on the back-burner. Local legislator and transport minister- Pratap Sarnaik raised the issue in the winter session of the state assembly in Nagpur following which funds were allocated for the purpose.
While the junior division will deal with civil matters up to a pecuniary jurisdiction of Rs 5 lakh, the JMFC will tackle all types of criminal matters, except those that are triable by the sessions court.
Around 50 percent of the cases related to the twin-city are ongoing/pending before the already overburdened Thane court which will be significantly reduced after the inauguration of the Judicial Magistrate First-Class (JMFC) and Civil Judge (junior division) court in Mira Road.
Lawyers Demand Land for New Jail.
“Accused who will be remanded to judicial court by the Mira Road court will have to be sent to jails in Thane or Taloja which will put an immense burden on the police who will be compelled to drive while accompanying them through the busy state and national highway. The civic administration should tag a suitable place in their new development plan for creating a small jail in the twin-city.” said Advocate Pravin Patil who represents the Mira Bhayandar Lawyers Association.
