New Delhi: With a view to speed up disposal of cases in the villages in far-flung areas, a Parliamentary committee has recommended that a provision for plea-bargaining should be made in the Bill on setting up rural courts.

Observing that as many as 90 per cent of the cases are settled through the plea-bargaining in similar courts established in other countries, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Law and Justice said the concept would go a long way in reducing the backlog of cases. The plea-bargaining is negotiating for lesser punishment in lieu of admission of the offence.

Nearly 2.83 crore cases are pending in district courts all over the country. Most of these come from the rural areas.

The Gram Nyayalayas Bill aims to provide "justice at the doorsteps" by setting up mobile courts and simplifying procedures.

Picking out incongruences in the existing Bill, the committee also pointed that the provision of empowering Gram Nyayalaya judge to pass on the case to the district court could result in harassment of the litigant as he will be running "pillar to post" for his case to get decided. "If accepted (this) would result in a situation where the cases will be transfered ... Even at the fag-end of the trial," the committee, in its report, observed.

The Committee said it would also result in "greater pendancy of cases" and the very cause will be defeated.

Observing that the revenue disputes in the rural areas comprise a bulk of rural cases, the committee recommended they too should be brought into the jurisdiction of the rural courts.