New Delhi, Sep 2 (IANS): The Supreme Court on Monday issued notice to the Central and the state governments on a plea seeking direction to take immediate steps to constitute 'Gram Nyayalayas' (rural courts).

A bench of Justice N.V. Ramana and Justice Ajay Rastogi sought response from the government on a plea seeking the implementation of the Gram Nyayalayas Act, 2008.

The plea was filed by The Federation for Fast Justice, a registered society carrying out a nation-wide campaign for judicial reform and work to provide access to justice for the poor, marginalised and economically weak citizens.

Appearing for the society, advocate Prashant Bhushan told the top court that the Act, which is aimed at establishing Gram Nyayalayas at the village level for speedy disposal of matters and access to justice, has not been implemented.

The plea said that non-establishment of Gram Nyayalayas frustrates statutory rights provided to citizens under the constitutional right of access to justice.

"As against a requirement of 2,500 Gram Nyayalayas estimated by the 12th Five Year Plan, for the period 2009-10 to 2017-18, a mere 320 Gram Nyayalayas have been notified by 11 state governments and of that, only 204 are operational. 18 states have failed to constitute any Gram Nyayalayas over the past ten years frustrating the object of the Act to provide 'access to justice' to all," the plea read.

Gram Nyayalayas, at the grass root levels, will provide access to justice to the most marginalised sections of society, specifically to reduce barriers to access in terms of distance, time, and associated costs. They will also reduce dependence of rural citizens on extra-judicial alternative systems of justice and reduce workload on higher tiers of judiciary, the petitioner said.

The plea has also sought direction to the Central government to provide adequate financial support for this purpose.