A heartening news for the employees of the UT of Jammu and Kashmir and Union Territory of Ladakh , is that the Union Government has decided to establish a Bench of the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) in Jammu. The Tribunal has the jurisdiction over the employees of both the Union Territories plus Central Government employees posted in these two UTs. It is nothing short of a landmark decision of the Union Government all in the interests of the employees covered under the CAT Bench which would save time, money , travel hassles and result in quick adjudications of disputes and complaints regarding recruitment and service conditions of employees in Government service and give out proper decisions. Sittings of the CAT would be regularly held at both the capital cities Jammu and Srinagar which further embodies the requisite facilities at the respective cities . Needless to add, CAT is guided by the principles of natural justice and not generally bound by Civil Procedure Code.
Pertinent to mention that necessary amendments in the notification of the Government of India in the erstwhile Ministry of Personnel and Training and other changes were carried out for establishing the said Bench in Jammu . Not only shall such establishment of the CAT in Jammu for both the UTs result in providing speedy and inexpensive justice to the aggrieved public servants but is tantamount to totally removing their fears and apprehensions , if any , but assuredly the anxiety , in respect of a notification issued only in the month of April this year which mentioned that Chandigarh Bench of the Central Administrative Tribunal would be having the jurisdiction over Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir as also of Ladakh. Not only this , such jurisdiction was only for Central Government employees posted in Jammu and Kashmir while service matters of the employees of Government departments of Jammu and Kashmir were being heard by the High Court. In other words, all those cases pending disposal before the High Court shall be transferred very shortly to the CAT Bench at Jammu . The initiative taken by Union DoPT Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh is notable who, while allaying the fears of the employees and the advocates pleading their cases on account of the April notification, had well assured the employees that the cases pertaining to their service matters would be heard and disposed off locally hence establishing of the CAT Bench.
The requisite preliminaries of identifying the premises for the Bench and residences of the members and staff on CAT are all underway , Chairman of the Central Administrative Tribunal has transferred Judicial Member of the Allahabad Bench to Jammu . It may , however, be noted that the CAT is a specialist body comprising Administrative Members and Judicial Members who are having specialised knowledge by virtue of which they are in a position to dispense effective and speedy justice. In other words, since most of the complaints in the employees cases are with the Government as respondents, both the sides are destined to get benefitted due to expectedly speedy disposals. It is expected by the 8th of the this month, the CAT Bench shall formally start functioning.
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