Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, June 16: Chief Justice of India, Justice Altamas Kabir today said that the establishment of State Judicial Academy in Jammu and Kashmir will enhance the proficiency of law and strengthen the justice system in the State.
Justice Kabir was speaking at the inaugural ceremony of State Judicial Academy Complex at Moomi-nabad, Batmaloo this afternoon.
He said that the Academy will provide judicial education to the judges, lawyers, and lawmakers of the State. “With its establishment the justice delivery system will get strong and it will ensure prompt justice delivery to people,” the CJI said.
The CJI said that the reputed and learned faculty at the Judicial Academy could sensitize the Law Officers about the need for basing their judgments on the ‘spirit of law’ rather than ‘letter-able law’. “The substantial justice always comes by taking to the course of spirit of law rather than letter-able law and this can be taught in the Judicial Academy in its right perspective”, he added.
“District and lower courts play an important role to cope up with the increasing litigations which have cropped up due to increase in population, crimes, unemployment and other aspects,” Chief Justice of India said.
The CJI said that outside court settlement of litigations through Lok Adalats has attained significant importance in present day justice delivery system.
During his speech, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah pitched for training for lawmakers on the lines of law officers or bureaucrats.
“Almost every other crucial sector of decision making is imparted formal training and there is one category of decision making that get absolutely no training whatsoever,” Omar said.
He said that lawmakers should be imparted formal law training for better execution of decision-making. “We have resisted time and again any move to fix a minimum level of qualification for ourselves. While we insist that all should get training, I couldn’t bother to do any on that myself. There is no formal training. This is perhaps the only line of work not only in or country but in the world in the highest decision making I could not find with absolutely no executive experience whatsoever. Therefore, time has come for us to teach ourselves,” Omar said.
On the slow process of judicial system, Omar said that there is a need to further evolve the system of imparting justice.
The Supreme Court Judge, Justice, Terath Singh Thakur during his speech referred to the special constitutional position of Jammu and Kashmir and the saga of disturbance it has passed through. He lauded the efforts of Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah and those of the Government of India to restore peace and tranquillity, adding that signs of stability and pause prevailing in the State should act as stepping-stone to rebuilt institutions and nurture human resources.
Justice Thakur said that development of human resource is of much more significance than constructions and financial aspects. He said State Judicial Academy could provide rich dividends to the State in the form of human resource development. He said officers dealing with justice like Tehsildars, Excise Officers and others could also be given trainings in this institution about the delivery of justice. He said healthy institutions have healthy effect on the society. He said when peace leaves these institutions scramble and the security of people gets injured.
Chief Justice of Jammu and Kashmir High Court, Justice MM Kumar described the occasion a historic one and the day as a golden day in the Judicial History of the State. He referred to the growth of Judicial Academy and said that former Chief Justice of Jammu and Kashmir, Justice Murtaza Fazal Ali was founder of Judicial Officer’s Training System in the State in 1972 and said that this system is now recognized as an important aspect in nurturing law officers and court staff under which Judicial Officers were provided training.
Justice Kumar referred to the historic and outstanding decisions given and statements recorded by the Judicial Magistrates in various cases and added that the Supreme Court of India has underlined their performance as of highest standard and lauded their performance in judicial process. He said Judicial Academy could nurture Law Officers, provide best trainings and education to them. He said a similar Academy Complex will be set up at Jammu.
The CJ said that efforts would be made to provide best faculty to the Academy for providing training and education to the trainees here.
Justice Mansoor Ahmad Mir, Justice Virender Singh and Minister for Law and Justice, Saifullah Mir also spoke on the occasion.
Other dignitaries present at the inaugural function of the academy were First Lady, Usha Vohra, Minister for Floriculture, Peerzada Mohammad Sayed, Chief Secretary, Mohammad Iqbal Khandey, Advocate General, Isaq Qadri, various Judges of State High Court, former Chief Justices of Jammu and Kashmir High Court, District and Session Judges besides law students from University and other Law Colleges.
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