Poor Awareness Delays Justice

Time of India

2 days ago

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Filings in Hyderabad's tribunals — from consumer commissions to industrial dispute forums — have dropped sharply in recent years, not because disputes have reduced, but because complainants do not know that these forums exist.
Advocates and officials claim many complainants head straight to the Telangana High Court or simply give up after hitting procedural hurdles.
"Tribunals are meant to be the first stop for redress in many matters. But people either don't know about them, find the process intimidating, or cannot locate the offices," said advocate TV Rajeshwar Rao
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Though these tribunals were established to provide quicker, less expensive, and expert resolution of specific categories of disputes, they say, the reality, however, is that these bodies are underutilised.
Which, in turn, is adding to the burden on Telangana High Court, which is struggling with a mounting backlog of cases, many of which could be resolved more efficiently at tribunals.
Only handful of cases
The Endowments Tribunal, meant for disputes relating to temples and charitable trusts, has received barely a handful of petitions in the past year.
Officials say many devotees still approach the High Court first, only to be redirected months later.
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"By the time they come to us, a lot of time is lost and some give up midway," said an Endowments Department official.
They point out that along with poor awareness, the need to make multiple visits just to confirm whether a dispute falls under the tribunal's jurisdiction adds to the drop in cases.
"Not every temple-related matter can come here. A complainant learns if it qualifies only after thorough inquiry," the official said.
This delay is pushing some to abandon their cases altogether. "We lost an entire festival season without clarity," said Lakshmi Narayana, a devotee from Old City, whose trust deed dispute took more than eight months to even be listed after being redirected.
Advocate Vinay K explains that the tribunal handles matters such as deciding whether an institution is public, charitable, or private; resolving property disputes over temple or trust assets; appointing or removing trustees; framing or amending management schemes; approving or challenging transactions involving endowment property; and other disputes assigned under the Endowments Act.
83% decline in cases filed in 5 years
The Co-operative Tribunal, which handles membership and management disputes in co-operative societies, has also seen a steep fall in cases.
"I had no clue it even existed," said R Prabhakar, a retired employee from Malkajgiri, who first went to the High Court over a housing society membership issue. "By the time I found the office and understood the process, I had already lost so much time and energy."
Officials at the tribunal explained that lack of awareness has been one of the primary reasons for the low number of filings. "About five years back, we would receive at least 300 case filings annually. This year, that number has dropped to hardly 50," said a senior official from the Co-operative Tribunal.
Many prefer to file complaints offline
Hyderabad's three district consumer commissions and the one in Rangareddy often see complainants walk away without filing cases due to incomplete paperwork and confusion over jurisdiction.
Of the four, Rangareddy continues to draw the most cases, about 70 a month, followed by Hyderabad III with 30, while Hyderabad I and II see only 10–15 each.
"First they said wrong jurisdiction, then to file online, now they say my documents are incomplete. I haven't even presented my case yet, but I've already lost the will to fight," said Suresh Reddy from Banjara Hills, who made three visits to complain about a faulty mobile phone.
Officials report a 20% drop in new filings since the e-Jagriti portal became mandatory. "We had to turn away many visitors who came expecting to file in person. We can't help them file online due to staff shortages. The system has confused people — from figuring out jurisdiction to navigating the portal," said Chandra Kala, superintendent, Hyderabad I commission. Lawyers say clearer guidance and online filing support are essential.
No Motor Accidents Claims Tribunal
Despite being a bustling metropolis with heavy vehicular traffic and a rising number of road accidents, Hyderabad currently lacks a dedicated Motor Accidents Claims Tribunal (MACT) to fast-track compensation claims.
Currently, cases go to the city's small causes court and civil court, where judges double up as MACT chairpersons. Victims say this leads to long delays.
A 38-year-old woman who lost her husband last year said, "It's been over a year with no resolution.
The process is complicated, and every hearing means more delays. A dedicated tribunal could have given us justice sooner."
Similarly, Nampally resident Kiran S, who suffered serious injuries in a recent accident, said he was shocked to learn no MACT exists in the city. "I had to file in regular courts. It's slow and stressful. I feel lost."
Advocates argue that, as in other major cities, a separate tribunal would speed up disposal.
"While the two courts work actively, many still go to the High Court and get redirected here," said Ram Chandra, an advocate at the small causes court.
Long wait
The city's industrial tribunals, set up to resolve disputes between employers and employees, are seeing very low case filings.
Industrial Tribunal 1 has received only 67 cases this year. "Many disputes either go to the High Court or the Central Industrial Tribunal.
Most days, the tribunal is empty," said superintendent Rama Raju.
He explained, "Before approaching a tribunal, complainants must often exhaust alternative remedies such as conciliation under the Industrial Disputes Act. The push for conciliation has grown stronger, and many cases stall there. Others try to bypass it by going to other courts, but eventually get redirected here."
A contract worker, who reached the tribunal only after being sent back by the High Court, said: "I didn't even know such a tribunal existed. The delay is frustrating. The system is not worker-friendly. We need immediate relief, but months of waiting for hearings push us into financial trouble."
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