Judgeship of Rayagada, Orissa

District Court,Rayagada
Established	07 July, 2012
Country	India
Location	Orissa, Rayagada
Authorized by	Constitution of India
Decisions are appealed to	Odisha High Court
Judge term length	Till 60 years of age
Website	http://ecourts.gov.in/odisha/rayagada
Dist. & Sessions Judge-cum-Special Judge, Rayagada
Currently	Hon'ble Janab Mohammed Ajmal
Since	02.04.2014

The Judgeship of Rayagada consists of all the Civil & Criminal Courts in the District of Rayagada, India, i.e., those at Rayagada, Gunupur, Kolnora, Bissam Cuttack & Kashipur.^[1] The District & Sessions Judge, Rayagada heads the Judicial Department of Rayagada district, under the direct control of High Court of Orissa.^[2]

History

Earlier, the Civil & Criminal Courts in the revenue districts of Rayagada, Nabarangpur, Malkangiri & Koraput were under the judgeship of undivided Koraput district.^[3] Long after the creation of 30 district in Orissa, i.e. on 20, December 1997, a Court of Additional District & Sessions Judge started functioning in the revenue district of Rayagada. The incumbency chart of the Additional District Judges of the erstwhile Court of Additional District Judge, Rayagada is as follows.

Finally On 7 July 2012 the newly created judgeship of Rayagada (vide Law Deptt., Orissa Notification No. 1669,dated 17.02.2010) under the judicature of Hon'ble High court of Orisssa, was inaugurated by the Hon’ble Justice Shri B. N. Mohapatra^[4] and Hon'ble Justice Shri B. K. Mishra,^[5] Hon'ble Judges of Orissa High Court, Cuttack.^[6] The Court & office of District & Sessions Judge started functioning in the building that was earlier used for the Court of Additional District Judge, Rayagada.

The incumbency chart of the District judges of Rayagada Judgeship is as follows:^[7][8]

• The District judge, Rayagada is empowered with the power of the Special Judge to try offences under special Acts, i.e., offences under the NDPS Act, Atrocities Act^[9] etc., within the jurisdiction of Rayagada district.
• The District Judge, Rayagada is also the Chairman of D.L.S.A, Rayagada functioning under the OSLSA, Cuttack.^[10]

The Sheristadar of the District and Sessions Courts has been declared as specially Gazetted as per Circular No.3787/1990, dated 14 March 1990 of High Court of Orissa. The incumbency chart of the Sheristadars of this judgeship is as follows:

Civil & Criminal Courts in Rayagada district

Civil court campus at Rayagada

In addition to the District & Sessions Court at Rayagada, the Court of Chief Judicial Magistrate-cum-Asst. Sessions Judge, the Fast Track court of Registrar-cum-Asst. Sessions Judge, the Court of Senior Civil Judge, the Court of Civil Judge-cum-Sub Divisional Judicial Magistrate are also functioning at Rayagada. The Court of Nyayadhikari(village Court),^[11] Gram Nyayalaya-cum-Judicial Magistrate First Class, Kolnara is functioning at Rayagada.

Court of Addl. Dist. & Sessions Judge, Rayagada

Inauguration of ADJ Court at Rayagada

Inaugurated by Hon'ble Janab Mohammed Ajmal, District & Sessions Judge, Rayagada, the Court is functioning with effect from 21.09.2015 at Rayagada. As per the decision of the State Cabinet,^[12] the Home Deptt. of Orissa in its Notification dated 22.05.2013 accorded sanction for establishment of one Court of Addition District & Sessions Judge at Rayagada. Hon'ble Shri Asim Kumar Dalbehera is the first Additional District & Sessions Judge of the newly established Court at Rayagada.

Court of Senior Civil Judge, Rayagada

Court of Senior Civil Judge & SDJM, Rayagada

The Court of Senior Civil Judge, the principal Civil Court at Rayagada, started functioning from 1971. The incumbency chart of the Presiding Officers of the Court is as follows:

Court of S.D.J.M, Rayagada

The Court of Civil Judge (Jr. Division)-Cum-S.D.J.M, Rayagada is the principal Criminal Court at Rayagada functioning from 18.12.1996. In addition to its criminal jurisdiction, the court is empowered to try civil suits valued up to Rs. 50,000/-.The jurisdiction of the court extends within the local limits of Rayagada Police Station, Chandili Police Station, K.Singpur Police Station and Seskhal Police Station. The incumbency chart of the Presiding Officers of the Court from the year 1996 on wards is as follows:

• Recently The Government of Orissa decided to establish 30 courts of Additional Civil Judge (Jr. Division) in all the 30 revenue districts to reduce the pendency of criminal cases^[13]

Court of Chief Judicial Magistrate, Rayagada

Government of Odisha in Home Department Notification No.7782 dated 12.2.1993 have established the Court of the Chief Judl. Magistrate in the newly created district of Rayagada with headquarters at Rayagada. It started functioning with effect from 22.02.1993. Shri G.D. Sadangi was appointed as the first presiding officer of the Court. On 21 March 1997 the Court shifted to the existing new Court building of the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Rayagada.

• The Chief Judicial Magistrate has also been empowered to deal with juvenile cases within the territorial jurisdiction of Rayagada district.

Special Track Court, Rayagada

The Registrar, Civil Courts, Rayagada, who is empowered with the power of an Assistant Sessions Judge, is the Presiding Officer of the designated Court to try offences against women. The incumbency chart of the Presiding Officers of the court is as follows:

Gram Nyayalaya, Kolnara

Gram Nyayalaya are established generally at headquarter of every Panchayat at intermediate level or a group of contiguous panchayat in a district where there is no panchayat at intermediate level.^[14] Under the provisions of The Gram Nyayalayas Act, 2008,^[15] Gram Nyayalaya, Kolnara with headquarters at Rayagada started functioning from 15.07.2011 in a part of the Court building of the Senior Civil Judge, Rayagada. Ms. Sunita pattnaik is the first Gram Nyayadhikari of the Gram Nyayalaya, Kolnara at Rayagada. The incumbency chart of the Nyayadhikaris of the Gram Nyayalaya, Kolnara at Rayagada is as follows:

Civil court campus at Gunupur

Civil Court Campus at Gunupur

The Court of Senior Civil Judge -cum- Assistant Sessions Judge, court of the Court of Junior Civil Judge-cum- Sub Divisional Judicial Magistrate and the Court of Additional District and Sessions Judge are functioning in the Civil court campus at Gunupur.

The Court of Junior Civil Judge-cum- Sub Divisional Judicial Magistrate

About 40 years back, the court of Additional Munsif -Cum-Sub Divisional Judicial Magistrate started functioning in a temporary structure near the Govt. High School, Gunupur. After the 1980 flood, the present new Court building at Marathiguda area came into existence.The jurisdiction of the court extends within the local limits of Gunupur Police Station, Gudari Police Station, Padmapur Police Station and Putasingi Police Station.

The Court of Senior Civil Judge -cum- Assistant Sessions Judge

The Court of Sub Judge, Gunupur started functioning from 1982 in a part of the Court building of Sub Divisional Judicial Magistrate, Gunupur. After 1989 the Court has been functioning in the new building beside the court building of SDJM, Gunupur.

• The Senior Civil Judge, Gunupur is the Judge in charge of the Buildings of the Court campus at Gunupur.
• The Senior Civil Judge, Gunupur is also the Drawing and Disbursing Officer for all the courts functioning in the Civil Court Premises, Gunupur.
• The Court of Senior Civil Judge cum J.M.F.C, Gunupur has been declared as the designated court to try the criminal cases relating to the offences against women.

The Court of Additional District and Sessions Judge

Inaugurated by Hon'ble Sri Justice Amitava Roy, Chief Justice, Hon'ble Sri Justice Satrughana Pujahari,^[16] Judge, Orissa High Court & Hon'ble Janab Mohammed Ajmal, District & Sessions Judge, Rayagada, the court is functioning with effect from 20.09.2014 at Gunupur.The Law Deptt. of Orissa in its Notification dated 08.08.2015 accorded sanction for establishment of one Court of Addition District & Sessions Judge at Gunupur.^[17][18][19] Hon'ble Shri Ramanath Panda is the first Additional District & Sessions Judge of the newly established Court at Gunupur.

Civil court campus at Bissam Cuttak

Civil Court building at Bissam Cuttack

A Court of Junior Civil Judge-cum-Judicial Magistrate First class is functioning at Bissam Cuttack since 27th Feb, 1982. The jurisdiction of the court extends within the local limits of Bissam cuttack Police Station, Ambadola Police Station, Muniguda Police Station and Chandrapur Police Station.

• The JMFC, Bissamcuttack is also the Secretary, Taluk legal services Authority of Bissamcuttack station under the State Legal Services Authority, Cuttack.

The incumbency chart of the Presiding Officers of the court is as follows:

Criminal court campus at Kashipur

Criminal Court at Kashipur

A Court of Judicial Magistrate First Class is functioning at Kashipur. The Court initially started functioning at Rayagada in the Civil Courts Campus at Rayagada and on 2nd Dec, 1998 shifted to the new Court building at Kashipur. The jurisdiction of the court extends within the local limits of Kashipur Police Station, Doraguda Police Station, and Tikiri Police Station.

• The JMFC, Kashipur is also the Secretary, Taluk legal services Authority of Kashipur station under the State Legal Services Authority, Cuttack.
• Unlike other stations, there is no jail at Kashipur for which the under trial prisoners of the Court are lodged at Sub Jail, Rayagada.

The incumbency chart of the Presiding Officers of the court is as follows:

Other Stakeholders within the district judiciary

DLSA, Rayagada

Under the provisions of Legal Services Authority Act, 2008 the district unit of Legal Services Authority is functioning at Rayagada. The District Authority consists of:- (a) The District Judge who is the Chairman (b) The District Magistrate, Superintendent of Police, Chief Judicial Magistrate of the district and the district Government Pleader as ex-officio members and (c) Other nominated members. The DLSA co-ordinates the activities of the Taluk Legal Services Authorities functioning at Gunupur, Bissamcuttack and Kashipur in organizing Lok Adalats within the district and performs such of the functions as may be delegated to it from the State Authority(OSLSA) as well as National Legal Services Authority(NALSA). The Registrar, Civil Courts, Rayagada has been designated as the Secretary of the unit. Accordingly, Sri S.K.Sahu and Dr. P.K.Panda, the then Registrars functioned as Secretaries of DLSA, Rayagada. Dr. Md. Irshadun Nabi became the first duly appointed Secretary of the DLSA w.e.f. 20.11.2015. The incumbency chart of the duly appointed Secretaries of the DLSA is as follows:

Mediation Centre

Mediation is an alternative method of conciliation for disposal of civil disputes by settlement between parties under the provisions of Civil Procedure Mediation Rules, 2007. A Mediation Centre has been established in the premises of the district Court and made functional with effect from 28.04.2014. A trained Mediator has been engaged for the purpose of mediating the disputes at pre-litigation and post-litigation stages. Civil suits of simple nature, matrimonial litigations and compoundable criminal cases are being referred by the Courts concerned to the Mediation Centre to facilitate their disposal through settlement at the intervention of Mediator.

Front Office

Under the provisions of National Legal Services Authority (Free and Competent Legal Services) Regulations, 2010 a Front Office has been functioning in the premises of the District court, Rayagada. A retainer along with intending PLVs out of the Panel lawyers has been engaged to provide free and competent legal services to the needy.

Juvenile Justice Board

Juveniles in Conflict with Law are brought before the JJB under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act 2000. Under this Act children are not to be taken to a regular criminal Court. The purpose of a separate court is that its purpose is socio-legal reformation but not punishment. The JJB, Rayagada, is a child-friendly body, constituted vide notification No.19081, Dtd.12.09.2003 of Women and Child Development Department, Government Of Odisha with the Chief Judicial Magistrate as the Principal Magistrate of the Board and two other members. One public prosecutor is also engaged to prosecute the cases against the juveniles. The observation home at Berhampur is earmarked for the juveniles of the district.

District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum

District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, Rayagada (DCDRF) is a district level judicial agency in the district headquarters of Rayagada under the Odisha State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission. The forum started functioning at the district headquarters with effect from 01.06.1994. The Forum consists of the President and three other members. Shri Rajendra Prasad Padhy was the first President of the forum. In 2008, it was shifted to the existing new building. The aim and objective of the Forum is to safeguard the right of the consumers and provide relief to the consumers under the Consumer Protection Act, 1986. It is a district level Court that deals with consumer disputes involving deficiency in service with claims up to 20 lakhs.

Statistics

Histogram showing the comparative pendency of different cases as on 30.09.12 & 30.09.14 in the Judgeship of Rayagada

1) The pendency of sessions cases in the judgeship as on 30.09.2012^[20] is 177 and that as on 30.09.2014^[21] is 298.

2) The pendency of Crl. Appeals & Crl. Revisions in the judgeship as on 30.09.2012^[20] is 75 & 14 and that as on 30.09.2014^[21] is 111 & 17 respectively.

3) The pendency of Civil Suits in the judgeship as on 30.09.2012^[20] is 251`and that as on 30.09.2014^[21] is 373.

4) The pendency of Civil Appeals & Revisions in the judgeship as on 30.09.2012^[20] is 82 & 04 and that as on 30.09.2014^[21] is 74 and 05 respectively.

5) The pendency of MACT cases in the judgeship as on 30.09.2012^[20] is 114 and that as on 30.09.2014^[21] is 76.

6) The pendency of Special Act cases in the judgeship as on 30.09.2012^[20] is 159 and that as on 30.09.2014^[21] is 132.

7) The pendency of Criminal cases in all the Magisterial Courts in the judgeship as on 30.09.2012^[20] is 32,056 and that as on 30.09.2014^[21] is 25,645.

• Information relating to the status of cases of different Courts of the judgeship is available under the e-Courts service.^[22]
• A proposal for opening of 6 more JMFC Courts in six blocks of the district is pending with the Government of Orissa.^[23]

Special features

• Play media

  Swach Bharat Abhiyana in Civil Court premises, Rayagada

• 

  Inauguration of District Mediation Centre, Rayagada

• 

  Swach Bharat Abhiyana in Civil Court premises, Rayagada

• 

  2nd National Lok Adalat held at the District Court, Rayagada

• 

  Officers of Rayagada Judgeship in a Picnic party at Chatikona

• 

  Republic Day celebration in Civil Court, Rayagada

• 

  Swach Bharat Abhiyana on 28.02.2015 in Civil Court Premises, Rayagada

• 

  Celebration of Anti Terrorism Day in Civil Court, Rayagada

• 

  On the occasion of 3rd Birth Anniversary of Rayagada Judgeship

• 

  69th Independence Day in Civil Court, Rayagada

• 

  3rd National Lok Adalat at Rayagada

• 

  Rayagada Judgeship Picnic-2016

• 

  67th Republic Day in Civil Court Premises, Rayagada

• The staff members, Bar members and judicial Officers of District Court, Rayagada, led by the District & Sessions Judge supported the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan by cleaning the Civil Court premises on 18.10.2014 and continuing the noble effort on 29.11.2014,^[24] 28.02.2015 & 25.07.2015 to share their social responsibility in making India clean.
• The notability of the Judgeship of Rayagada can also be combined with the fact that Hon'ble Janab Mohammed Ajmal, the Distirct & Sessions Judge, Rayagada, in a noble gesture, has put on record his appreciation^[25] in favour of the Judicial officers, staff members of the Judgeship acknowledging their commendable job and for the unstinted co-operation of the Bar members in Swach Bharat Abhiyan.
• A record number of 22,670 cases including 04 Motor Accident Claims Cases, 22 Civil Suits, 07 Execution Petitions, 8484 Revenue cases, 119 Pre-litigation Bank cases, 19 Consumer cases and a no. of Petty Criminal Cases have been disposed of on 6th Dec, 2014 in the 2nd National Lok Adalat^[26][27] in the Judgeship of Rayagada.
• A record number of 26,738 cases including 04 Motor Accident Claims Cases, 16 Civil Suits, 06 Execution Petitions, 01 Civil Appeal, 13,604 Revenue cases, and a no. of Petty Criminal Cases have been disposed of on 12th Dec, 2015 in the 3rd National Lok Adalat organised in the Judgeship of Rayagada.^[28]
• Judgeship of Rayagada is one among the few institutions in Rayagada district where steps have been taken to implement the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act "COTPA" and to declare the District Court premises a smoke-free zone.^[29]
• Anti-Terrorism Day was celebrated on 21.05.2015 in the Civil Court Premises of Rayagada.

References

External links

• Official website of District court, Rayagada
• Official website of Orissa High Court

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