Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Oct 14: Division Bench of the State High Court comprising Justice Ramalingam Sudhakar and Justice Tashi Rabstan has directed Deputy Commissioner Kishtwar to vacate and handover the entire old Deputy Commissioner’s office complex to the Principal District Judge Kishtwar within a period of one month.
The Division Bench at the same time also directed Principal District Judge Kishtwar to handover the possession of the present District Court Complex/Building to the Deputy Commissioner Kishtwar.
These directions were passed in a Public Interest Litigation filed in September 2015 by Bar Association Kishtwar through Advocate Sheikh Shakeel Ahmed seeking directions to the State Government to hand over the entire old Deputy Commissioner’s office complex Kishtwar for use of District Courts in view of inadequate space in the existing judicial complex.
When this Public Interest Litigation was taken up for hearing on October 11, 2017 Advocate Sheikh Shakeel Ahmed submitted that the Registrar General had placed the matter before the Chief Justice on administrative side for obtaining the orders so that the old Judicial Complex be handed over to the Revenue Department
He further submitted that a detailed order was passed on May 27, 2016 by the Division Bench whereby it had been categorically directed that on shifting of Deputy Commissioner’s complex to new complex, it shall be ensured that the old complex is not used for any other purpose except providing space to the Judiciary. As per the communication of the Registrar General, the Chief Justice had desired to place the matter before the Full Court for passing of appropriate orders.
When this PIL was taken up yesterday, Division Bench headed by Justice Ramalingam Sudhakar was apprised about the approval granted by the Full Court Resolution dated October 10, 2017 to the handing over of old Judicial Complex to the Deputy Commissioner Kishtwar.
After considering the submissions of both the sides, Division Bench directed Deputy Commissioner Kishtwar to vacate and handover the entire old Deputy Commissioner’s office complex to the Principal District Judge Kishtwar within a period of one month. The Division Bench at the same time also directed Principal District Judge Kishtwar to handover the possession of the present District Court Complex/Building to the Deputy Commissioner Kishtwar.
Accordingly, the DB closed the contempt proceedings against the Divisional Commissioner Jammu and Deputy Commissioner Kishtwar.
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