Mumbai, March 28: Members of the Advocates Association of the Small Causes Court have been demanding that its pecuniary jurisdiction be increased from ₹10,000 to ₹3 crore, considering the current economic conditions.
Outdated jurisdiction limits
The Small Causes Courts were established in 1882 to handle cases of a petty nature and tenancy disputes. Originally, the pecuniary jurisdiction was set at ₹10,000. Although this was enhanced to ₹25,000 in 1987, the official website history section notes that this change has yet to be implemented.
Changing economic landscape
Over the decades, the Indian economy has changed. The pecuniary jurisdiction of the city civil court, which also deals with civil cases, was initially set at ₹50,000. Beyond that, disputes had to be heard before the High Court.
Later, in 2012, the jurisdiction was increased to ₹1 crore. Now, with the sharp increase in the value of immovable properties in Mumbai, the jurisdiction has been increased to ₹10 crore.
Representation to authorities
But the jurisdiction of the Small Causes Court remains exactly the same. The association has submitted a detailed representation to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who also holds the charge of the Law and Judiciary Ministry. Representations were made to the High Court and other authorities.
Need to preserve the institution
The Mumbai Small Causes Court is a historic court with special jurisdiction and sufficient judicial infrastructure. It has 44 sanctioned judicial positions. Association chairman Sachin Gelye said increasing the limit would preserve the institution.
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“The small causes court deals with the issues related to tenancy, and other civic issues. However, with the decrease in tenancy properties, the number of litigation too will decrease, which in a way can help reduce the burden of city civil courts in the city which are heavily loaded,” Gelye said.
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