Maharashtra should have separate law university: Justice Abhay S Oka

Justice Abhay S Oka of the Supreme Court has said that Maharashtra should have a separate law university on the lines of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

Speaking at a conference organized by the Bar Council of Maharashtra and Goa and Thane District Courts Bar Association, Justice Abhay S Oka of the Supreme Court has said that Maharashtra should have a separate law university on lines of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

Financial constraints should not come in the way of the improvement of judicial infrastructure in the country, he added.

The Lawyers Academy set up by the Bar Council was a good initiative, Maharashtra should become the number one state in the country in terms of judicial infrastructure, he said, as reported by NDTV.

Finance departments must provide adequate funds

He said that finance departments of the states should change their attitude while sanctioning funds for the improvement of judicial infrastructure as access to justice is a fundamental right of citizens, and financial constraints cannot be the reason for not ensuring this right.

Justice Oka noted that the state government had issued a notification in 1998 that the functioning of courts up to the district level should be carried out in Marathi, but it was not implemented. 

Of 48 Chief Justices of the apex court, nine were from Maharashtra and of 15 Attorney Generals five were from the state, he pointed out. Why should Maharashtra, which has produced some of the best lawyers and judges, should lag behind in terms of infrastructure, he added.

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