A
total of 100 Family Courts under the Family Courts Act, 1984,
have, so far, been set up all over the country.
Seven Family Courts
have been set up in Andhra Pradesh followed by one in Assam, three
in Bihar, four in Gujarat, four in Jharkhjand, one in Jammu and
Kashmir, 10 in Karnataka, nine in Kerala, seven in Madhya Pradesh,
16 in Maharashtra, one in Manipur, two in Orissa, six in Rajasthan,
one in Sikkim, six in Tamil Nadu, 14 in Uttar Pradesh, five in
Uttaranchal, two in West Bengal and one in Pondicherry.
Family Courts adjudicate
family disputes relating to marital discords, such as, estrangement,
divorce cases, alimony, custody of child(ren), as the case may
be, amicably in a cordial atmosphere without the formal help of
lawyers.
During the current
financial year 2002-2003, 34 new Family Courts are being set up
all over the country. The Centre has agreed to share 50 per cent
expenditure of new Family Courts with the States. So far, grant
for setting up of 20 additional Family Courts has been released
to various States during the current financial year 2002-2003.
Meanwhile, the Centre
has advised the States and Union Territories to establish one
Family Court in each district for tackling cases arising out of
growing family disputes.
