Judgeship of Rayagada

The Judgeship of Rayagada is the judicial infrastructure comprising all the Civil & Criminal Courts in the Rayagada district, i.e. those at Rayagada, Gunupur, Kolnora, Bissam Cuttack & Kashipur. The District & Sessions Judge, Rayagada heads the Judicial Department Of Rayagada district under the direct control of Odisha High Court.

History

Prior to the creation of Rayagada Judgeship, the Civil & Criminal Courts in the revenue districts of Rayagada, Nabarangpur, Malkangiri & Koraput were under the judgeship of undivided Koraput district. Long after the creation of 30 district in Orissa, a Court of Additional District & Sessions Judge, first of its kind, started functioning in the revenue district of Rayagada on 20 December 1997. 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 High court of Orisssa, was inaugurated by the Hon’ble Justice Shri B. N. Mohapatra and Hon'ble Justice Shri B. K. Mishra, Judges of Orissa High Court, Cuttack. The Court & office of District & Sessions Judge, Rayagada 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:

• The District judge, Rayagada is empowered with the power of the Special Judge to try offences under special Acts, i.e., offences under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (India), Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 etc., within the jurisdiction of Rayagada district.
• The District Judge, Rayagada is also the Chairman of District Legal Services Authority, Rayagada functioning under the OSLSA, Cuttack.

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 special 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. Preently, the Court of Nyayadhikari(village Court), Gram Nyayalaya-cum-Judicial Magistrate First Class, Kolnara is functioning at Rayagada.

Court of Addl. Dist. & Sessions Judge, Rayagada

File:ADJ Court at Rayagada.JPG 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, 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. Shri Asim Kumar Dalbehera is the first Additional District & Sessions Judge of the newly established Court at Rayagada. The incumbency chart of Presiding Officers of the Court is as follows:

Court of Senior Civil Judge, 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 onwards is as follows:

Court of Chief Judicial Magistrate, Rayagada

Government of Odisha in Home Department Notification No.7782 dated 12.02.1993 have established the Court of the Chief Judicial 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 incumbency chart of the Presiding Officers of the Court is as follows:

Special Track Court, Rayagada

The Registrar, Civil Courts, Rayagada, who is also empowered with the power of 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 Nyayalayas 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. Under the provisions of The Gram Nyayalayas Act, 2008, 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 Nyayadhikari of the Gram Nyayalaya, Kolnara at Rayagada. The incumbency chart of the Nyayadhikaris of the Gram Nyayalaya, Kolnara at Rayagada is as follows:

Family Court at Rayagada

The Government of Odisha has published necessary notification regarding establishment of a family Court at Rayagada. However further follow up action is being taken for functioning of the Court.

Civil court campus at Gunupur

File:Court Campus, Gunupur.jpg 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 Senior Civil Judge (the then Sub Judge), Gunupur started functioning from 1982 in a part of the Court building of Sub Divisional Judicial Magistrate, Gunupur. Hon'ble Sri Rajanikanta Mohanty is the 1st Sub-Judge of the Court. 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 Amitava Roy, Chief Justice, Hon'ble Sri Justice Satrughana Pujahari, 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. 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

File:Civil Court building at Bissam Cuttack.jpg 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

File:Criminal Court at Kashipur, Rayagada.JPG A Court of Judicial Magistrate First Class is functioning at Kashipur, Rayagada. 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 District Legal Services Authority, Rayagada 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

File:Juvenile Justice Board, Rayagada.jpg 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 Registrar, Civil Courts, Rayagada 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.

Rayagada Bar Association

Rayagada Bar association consists of 142 registered advocates. Established in the year 1960 (Regd.NO.324/22-1960-61) the association is the oldest of all the Bar associations of Rayagada district. The bar is affiliated under Odisha State Bar Council.(vide serial no.40)

Committees

For smooth management of the judicial administration of the Judgeship, various Committees/Board are functioning in the district judiciary

District Recruitment Committee

The Committee consists of:

1) The District & Sessions Judge, Rayagada, Chairman

2) The Additional Dist. & Sessions Judge, Rayagada, Member

3) The Senior Civil Judge, Rayagada, Member(Reconstituted replacing the CJM,Rayagada on 23.11.2016)

The Committee looks after the process of recruitment to various cadres in Group-C of the Judgeship as per the provisions contained under Orissa District and Subordinate Courts’ Non-Judicial Staff Services (Method of Recruitment and Conditions of Service) Rules, 2008. The District Recruitment Cell constituted for the purpose assists the Committee in the process of recruitment.

The District Recruitment Cell consists of

1. Registrar, Civil Courts, Rayagada
2. Court Manager, Rayagada
3. Sheristadar, District Office, Rayagada

District Legal Services Recruitment Committee

The Committee consists of:

1) The District & Sessions Judge, Rayagada, Chairman

2) The Addl. Dist. & Sessions Judge, Rayagada, Member

3) The Secretary, DLSA,Rayagada, Member

The Committee looks after the process of recruitment to various cadres in Group-C of the DLSA/TLSC of the district as per the provisions contained under ''Orissa State Legal Services Authority (Amendment) Rules, 2016.

District Vigilance Committee

As per the directions of Hon'ble High Court of Orissa, vide their Letter No. 3310, dated 29.4.1977, District Vigilance Committee has been constituted to check corruption in the administrative machinery of Courts of this Judgeship. The Committee consists of:

1) The District & Sessions Judge, Rayagada, Chairman

2) The Registrar, Civil & Sessions Courts, Rayagada, Member

3) Sri Sahadev Choudhury, Rayagada, Sr. Advocate(Raygada Bar) Member

4) Shri Binod Chandra Panda, Retd. Chief Manager, SBI and

5) The Sheristadar, District Court, Rayagada, Member .

The Committee sits once in a quarter to discuss regarding information/instances of corruption,if any, and action to be taken thereof.

District Court Management System Committee

As per the directions of State Court Management System Committee of Hon'ble High Court of Orissa, vide Letter No. 8231(30), dated 21.09.2015, the District Court Management System Committee has been constituted to monitor the plan of action as suggested in the Vision Document of the Judgeship.

The Committee consists of:

1) The District & Sessions Judge, Rayagada, Chairman

2) The Addl. Dist. & Sessions Judge, Rayagada, Member

3) The Chief Judicial Magistrate, Rayagada, Member and

4) The Court Manager,Nodal Officer.

The Committee sits once in a month to discuss ways and means to implement the plan of action suggested in the Vision Document of the Judgeship.

Under trials Review Committee

As per the directions of Hon'ble Supreme Court of India in Suo Moto W.P (Civil) No. 406 of 2013, read with Government of Odisha, Home Department notification No. 31331, dated. 15.09.2015, the Under trials Review Committee of this Judgeship has been re constituted with the following members. The Committee consists of:

1) The District & Sessions Judge, Rayagada, Chairman

2) The District Magistrate, Rayagada, Member

3) The Superintendent of Police, Rayagada, Member and

4) The Secretary, DLSA, Rayagada, Member

The Committee sits once in a quarter to discuss ways and means for reduction of UTPs in the jails.

District Committee for review of the progress in Development of infrastructure of the Sub-ordinate Courts

In view of the directions of Hon'ble High Court of Odisha in I.A. No.279/2010 (arising out of W.P.( C ) No. 1022 of 1989, communicated under Hon'ble Court's Letter No. 8038(30), dated 10.09.2014, the District Committee for review of the progress in Development of infrastructure of the Sub-ordinate Courts of this Judgeship has been constituted with the following members.

1) The District & Sessions Judge, Rayagada, Chairman

2) The District Magistrate, Rayagada, Member

3) The Executive Engineer, P.W.D, Rayagada, Member and

4) The Chief Architect,Bhubaneswar, Rayagada, Member

The Committee sits once in a half year to ensure maintenance and development of infrastructure of Court Buildings and residences and allocation of site for the purpose of Court complexes and residential quarters on priority basis.

District Level Committee to monitor timely completion of Projects

The Hon'ble High Court of Orissa, in accordance with the resolution passed in the Chief Justices' Conference, 2016, constituted District Level Committee consisting of the Hon'ble the Administrative Judge and the District Judge concerned to closely monitor the timely completion of the Projects and to facilitate proper coordination between the officials at the district Level and the decision making authority of the State Government, vide Hon'ble Court's Leter no. 5519(30), dated 11.07.2016.

Departmental Promotion Committee

The Committee has been re-constituted with the following members.

1) The District & Sessions Judge, Rayagada, Chairman

2) The Addl. Dist. & Sessions Judge, Rayagada, Member

3) The Chief Judicial Magistrate, Rayagada, Member

The Committee looks after the process of promotion to various cadres in Group-C & D of the Judgeship.

District Computer Committee

The District Judge, Rayagada is the Chairperson of the Committee. Other members and Nodal officers for all the Court Complexes are as follows:

RACP Screening Committee

As per the directions of Government, vide Resolution No.3560, dated 6.2.2013 of Finance Department, Govt. of Odisha, the RACP Screening Committee of this Judgeship has been constituted to decide the eligibility of the persons for upgradation under RACP Scheme.The Committee consists of:

1) The Chief Judicial Magistrate,Rayagada, Member

2) The Senior Civil Judge, Rayagada, Member and

2) The Registrar, Civil & Sessions Courts, Rayagada, Member

Complaints Committee for [...] Harassment of Women at Work Place

In accordance with the guidelines of the Hon'ble Apex Court of the country in the case of Vishakha & Ors. Vrs. State of Rajasthan and Ors., the Complaints Committee has been constituted at the district headquarters as well as at all the stations of the Judgeship. The Committee at the district headquarters consists of:

1) Nyayadhikari, Gram Nyayalaya, Kolnara at Rayagada,

2) Smt. Subhra Panda, Lady Advocate, Rayagada Bar,

3) Smt. Sanghamitra Mahapatra, a lady member of SHAKTI(NGO),

4) The Secretary, District Legal Services Authority, Rayagada &

5) The Court Manager, Rayagada

to deal with complaints of [...] harassment within the civil Court complex of Rayagada.

District level Committee for monitoring the conditions of the Jails

The Committee consists of:

1. The District & Sessions Judge, Rayagada

2. The Collector-cum-District Magistrate, Rayagada

3. The Superintendent of Police, Rayagada

   As per the directions of the Hon’ble Orissa High Court under letter No. 2348 (14), dt.10.03.2000, the Committee visits the jails of the district to review the basic minimum standards of health, hygiene and institutional treatment for the prisoners in the jail

Purchase Committee

The Committee consists of:

1. The Chief Judicial Magistrate, Rayagada

2. The Registrar, Civil Courts, Rayagada

3. The Senior Civil Judge, Rayagada

   Under the provisions of O.M. No. 4939/F, dt.13.02.2012, of Govt. of Orissa, Finance Department, the committee is authorised to survey the market to ascertain the reasonableness of rate, quality and specifications and identify the appropriate supplier for the procurement of goods

Review Committee for review of the cases of Non-Gazetted Staff

Under the directions of Hon’ble High Court of Orissa communicated under letter no.8267 (10), dated 04.10.12, the Committee has been constituted with the Dist. & Sessions Judge, Rayagada and the Dist. & Sessions Judge, Koraput to review the services of Non-Gazetted staff of the Judgeship who attains the age of 50/55 years.

Editorial Board for E-Magazine

The Board consists of:

1) The District & Sessions Judge, Rayagada, Editor-in-Chief

2) The Senior Civil Judge, Rayagada, Member

3) The Registrar-cum-ASJ(STC), Rayagada, Member

4) The Judicial Magistrate First Class, Kashipur, Member

The Committee looks after the process of publication of the timely e-Magazine(Winds of Change) of the Judgeship published in the district Court's website.

Statistics

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Special features

• 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, 28.02.2015 & 25.07.2015 to share their social responsibility in making India clean.
• 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 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.
• Anti-[...] Day was celebrated on 21.05.2015 in the Civil Court Premises of Rayagada.
• WINDS OF CHANGE the E-Magazine of Rayagada Judgeship has been published in May 2016 as per the directions of Hon'ble High Court of Orissa.
• Vision Document-2015 has been drafted to implement ways and means for reduction of 5+/10+ cases as well as overall development of the district judiciary.
• The Judgeship was instrumental in contributing disposal of 25,597 cases, i.e. 15,325 revenue cases,10236 Criminal cases, 20 Civil cases and 16 Pre-litigation cases in the 4th National Lok Adalat held on 12.11.2016.

External links

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