Supreme Court Judge and Judicial Service Commission (JSC) member Husnu Al Suoodh has stated that the implementation of the Civil Procedure Act has led to delays in civil court cases. Suoodh made these remarks while addressing the Judiciary Committee of the parliament.
Speaking on behalf of the JSC, Suoodh mentioned that the use of out-of-court settlements or mediation for civil cases under the Civil Procedure Act has been halted. He highlighted that 60% of the cases submitted to the civil court could be resolved through mediation, but the current procedure under the law takes six to eight months to reach mediation. Suoodh emphasised that as the law stands, there is no solution to this problem through an amendment to a rule. He also noted the challenges in implementing civil cases under the Act and stated that it would be easier to enforce sentences if there were provisions in the law to take action against violations of civil court orders.
During the committee meeting, JSC President Hussain Riza Ahmed stated the Attorney General has been consulted on amending the Civil Procedure Act.
The Civil Procedure Act, which was passed by the Parliament and came into effect in June 2022, aims to facilitate the hearing and decision of civil cases in a fair, transparent, and timely manner. One of the most important aspects of this Act is the establishment of time limits for prosecution in civil cases, stating that hearings must be completed within six years.