Kottayam, February 27: Chief Justice of India K G Balakrishnan on Saturday declared Moonnilavu village in this district of Kerala as the first litigation-controlled tribal panchayat in the country.
The panchayat has earned the distinction due to development in socio-cultural activities. Education also played a dominant role in achieving the status, he said after making the declaration at a function.
Moonnilavu, the north eastern tip of the district, bordering Idukki, had come a long way from its past with a high rate of crimes and litigation and the people now avoided courts, settling disputes by way of reconciliation, due to efforts by the Kerala State Legal Services Authority, officials said.
Justice Balakrishnan said the number of cases were less in the country considering the growth of population. “India is not a litigation loving country,” he said.
Lauding the efforts of Legal Services Authority in controlling the number of litigations, he said even courts could not find a solution in some cases due to limitations.
He said the idea that lawyers would lose their jobs if there were no cases was a wrong notion. Lawyers would not be isolated as central and state governments were implementing several socio-welfare projects.
Acting Chief Justice of Kerala High Court, P R Raman, said the conciliatory approach of the people helped the panchayat attain the distinction.
Chairman of Kerala State Legal Services Authority R Jyothindranathan said authorities made concerted efforts over the last three years to bring down the litigations in the panchayat.
Reconciliation talks at the instance of authorities concerned had brought the warring parties in many cases to come for dialogue and arrive at amicable settlement, he said.
–PTI