During a recent plenary session of the Majilis, Asylbek Musralimov, Deputy Head of the Judicial Administration, announced that Kazakh citizens now find it easier to engage in legal proceedings against government agencies. He highlighted the shift in paradigm where citizens no longer perceive government agencies as always being right, making it more feasible to challenge them in court. Before the introduction of administrative justice, government agencies won 85% of cases, but now the tide has turned, with a success rate exceeding 60%.
Musralimov noted a significant increase in the number of administrative lawsuits, surpassing 30,000 cases annually, with a steady growth rate of approximately 8%. The majority of these cases (60%) are directed towards central government bodies, while the remaining 40% target local executive authorities. This trend underscores the effectiveness of administrative justice in protecting citizens' rights.
Marat Bashimov, a deputy, emphasized that previously, public-law disputes between citizens and government bodies in Kazakhstan were handled by general courts in accordance with the Civil Procedure Code. He illustrated the power imbalance in such cases, where ordinary citizens would often find themselves at a disadvantage against well-resourced government entities, leading to unfavorable outcomes for the former.
With the implementation of administrative justice, citizens are relieved of the burden of proving their case, as the onus now falls on the government agencies. Furthermore, the active role of the judiciary ensures a fairer process, where judges are empowered to seek additional information beyond what is presented by the parties involved.
In a joint effort between the Ministry of Justice and the Republican Chamber of Judicial Officers, a pilot project introducing simplified enforcement procedures was launched in Taraz on January 18, 2024. This initiative marks a step towards enhancing access to justice and streamlining legal processes for the benefit of Kazakh citizens.
