Development policy bill of judicial power approved

The parliament deliberated on the draft bill on “Approval of the Development Policy of Judicial Power of the State of Mongolia”. During the discussion, G.Amartuvshin, a member of the parliament, presented the viewpoints and findings of the Standing Committee on Justice regarding the draft resolution. In his introductory remarks, G.Amartuvshin referenced Section 1.7 of Article 25 of the 2019 amendment to the Constitution of Mongolia, which highlights the stability of development policy and planning. This provision, as reflected in the Law on Courts of Mongolia revised and approved in 2021, particularly in Section 5.11 of Article 5, establishes the development policy of the judiciary, formulated by the Judicial General Council and submitted to the parliament in consultation with the Supreme Court and the government.

Accordingly, the proposal for “the judicial power development policy” was developed by the Judicial General Council, comprising representatives from various levels of courts, the Judicial Disciplinary Committee, the Prosecutor in General’s Office, the National Human Rights Commission, the Mongolian Lawyers’ Association, the Mongolian Bar Association, judges from primary and appellate courts, and representatives from the Court’s Office. This proposal was submitted to the parliament on October 10, 2023. Furthermore, the Standing Committee on Justice drafted a resolution on “Approving the Development Policy of the Judicial Power of Mongolia” based on the proposal from the Judicial General Council, as mandated by Section 93.1 of the Law on the Rules of Session of the parliament of Mongolia.

This draft resolution, comprising seven goals, 16 targets, 79 measures, and 103 indicators, with a total budget of 766.6 billion MNT, was discussed at the meeting held on April 23. Considering the necessity for the draft resolution to serve as a medium to long-term development policy, intended for implementation over 10 years, it was formulated with comprehensive coverage, addressing issues such as ensuring civil rights, enhancing transparency and openness of operations, maintaining judicial independence and responsibility, developing administrative management, enhancing human resource capabilities, improving the quality and accessibility of court services, advancing court service infrastructure, among others. During the meeting of the Standing Committee, the majority of participants agreed that it is appropriate to bring the draft resolution for parliamentary discussion.

During the discussion, members highlighted the significance of the state of the courts as a reflection of Mongolia’s development. They specifically addressed provisions in the bill related to court workload, working conditions, and the quality of legal education. L.Enkhbileg, head of the Judicial General Council, acknowledged the lack of investment in the past decade, noting delays in court sessions due to inadequate facilities and infrastructure. He emphasized a citizen-centric approach in addressing these issues through the development policy, aiming to improve working conditions and efficiency. Regarding financial aspects, the working group clarified that 284 million MNT was allocated over 10 years to enhance the legal environment and collaborate on training programs with relevant organizations. Following discussions, 54.1 percent of attending members supported the approval of the draft resolution, leading to its adoption by the Standing Committee.

Deputy Speaker of the Parliament, L.Munkhbaatar, commended recent legislative efforts to reinforce judicial independence. He emphasized the goal of the policy to establish independent, competent, and transparent courts and judges. Munkhbaatar also highlighted past neglect in ensuring the economic security of courts, resulting in operations from inadequate premises, ultimately impacting citizens’ access to timely court services and delaying hearings. He stressed the need for comprehensive improvements in economic security, judicial competence, transparency, and service quality through the 10-year judiciary development policy to enhance the promptness of court services.