New Delhi: The Chief Justice of India has asked the government to set up additional courts for trials in corruption cases investigated by the CBI, Law and Justice Minister H R Bhardwaj informed the Rajya Sabha today.

"In recent letters dated April 7,2008,the Chief Justice of India has desired that additional courts for trial of corruption cases investigated by CBI and more family courts be set up," the Minister said in reply to a question.

The Chief Justice of India K G Balakrishnan has been emphasising the need to increase the judicial manpower in subordinate courts.

"The matter is under consideration with the government," Bhardwaj said.

To a separate question, the minister said the government will consider setting up more benches of High Court in Madhya Pradesh, Orissa and other states if the respective state government proposed to finance such an endeavour.

Bench of High Courts away from the Principle Seat of Justice can only be set up upon the recommendation of Governor and the Chief Justice of the High Court in the state.

Setting up a High Court bench would cost the state government between Rs 200 crore to 300 crore, he said pointing that many states were not ready to spend that kind of money on the infrastructure needed for the new benches.

The government had, in 1987,brought to the notice of the state governments the recommendations of the Jaswant Singh Commission fixing norms for setting up of Benches of High Courts away from their principal seats.

The Central Government cannot force setting up of new benches, he said, adding there was no proposal from Orissa or Madhya Pradesh for setting up of new benches of the respective High Courts.
Source : PTI