New courts to be set up in SAS Nagar, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Amritsar and Patiala

Chandigarh, 30 May (H.S.): The Punjab Cabinet on Saturday approved the establishment of seven Exclusive Special Courts across the state for the speedy disposal of cases registered under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.

The decision was taken with the objective of ensuring faster trials and timely justice in corruption-related cases. According to an official statement, three of these special courts will be established in SAS Nagar (Mohali), while one court each will be set up in Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Amritsar and Patiala.

To facilitate the functioning of these courts, the Cabinet also approved the creation of seven posts of Additional District and Sessions Judges. In addition, 63 supporting staff positions have been sanctioned to ensure the smooth and efficient operation of the newly established courts.

The move is expected to significantly reduce the pendency of corruption cases and strengthen the state's efforts to ensure accountability and transparency in public administration. The dedicated courts will exclusively handle corruption-related matters, enabling faster hearings and judgments.

In another important decision, the Cabinet approved amendments to Rules 7, 10, 12 and Appendix ‘B’ of the Punjab Superior Judicial Service Rules, 2007.

Hindusthan Samachar / GURSHARAN SINGH