Shortage seen in funds of Gram Nyayalayas, Rs 2 crore allocated in the upcoming financial year 2025-26

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget on Saturday, February 1. There is a huge reduction in fund allocation for Gram Nyayalayas for the first time ever. In 2024-25, Rs 10 crore has been kept for this scheme, but in 2025-26, Rs 2 crore has been kept for it under the Union Law Ministry's scheme for Gram Nyayalayas. Due to financial constraints, Gram Nyayalayas has not been in a position to serve its purpose.

In 1986, the establishment of Gram Nyayalayas was proposed in the Law Commission for providing cheap and speedy justice to citizens at their doorstep. Under this act, everyone can access justice for social, financial, and any cause whatever.

Citing some reports, the Law Ministry told Parliament that the reasons for the slow progress in setting up these Gram Nyayalayas include the non-filling of the post of Nyayadhikari in many states, non-availability of public prosecutors, notaries, and first-class judicial magistrates. The government said that the limited economic jurisdiction of Gram Nyayalayas, inadequate financial support from the states, and lack of community awareness were other reasons for the current status of Gram Nyayalayas. The Centre provided Rs 18 lakh per Gram Nyayalay as a one-time measure.

In December last year, a bench of Justices BR Gavai and KV Vishwanathan in the Supreme Court, while hearing a petition seeking direction to the Centre and all states to set up Gram Nyayalayas, had said that there cannot be any straitjacket formula for the entire country regarding setting up of Gram Nyayalayas as the situation will depend on different states.