Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Mar 25: Jammu and Kashmir High Court today directed the Government to utilize the space available in the office complex of Superintendant of Police (SP) Anantnag for the trial court of Anantnag as committed by Ex Chief Minister of the State.
“The lawyers chambers can also be constructed in the manner observed in this order to fulfill the commitment of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, former Chief Minister of the State”, directed the Division Bench of Justice MH Attar and Justice Ali Mohammad Magrey.
High Court while directing for implementation of DPR said: “We hope that the respondent state will honour the commitment of its Ex CM and construct lawyers chamber also in the manner it is provided in this order. The Commissioner Secretary to Government, Law, Justice & Parliamentary Affairs, shall take necessary steps in this regard and file compliance report before the date of hearing”, court added in its order.
Court said that the existing court complex at Anantnag, does not cater to the full requirements of the courts there. “It is only after proper appreciation and evaluation of the issues that it was decided to utilize the office of the SP complex for housing the court complex. The experts accordingly prepared the DPR for an amount of Rs 3.19 crores for converting the SP’s office complex into the court rooms”, reads the order.
With regard to issue of making the lifts operational at District Court Complex Srinagar, SICOP authorities were directed to make the lifts operational and the compliance report be filed.
“In view of the assurances given in the report, the lifts shall be made operational and functional by or before April, 4”, court directed.
Court has also been apprised that J&K Special Tribunal has been made functional at Srinagar and the member has been permanently posted in the Tribunal. “The Government shall take steps for supplying other vacancies also in the J&K Special Tribunal”, court directed as the Tribunal was defunct at Srinagar and it is only after court’s intervention the same has been made functional.
About the issue of salary for the daily wagers who are working in different courts, Court said the direction in respect of providing funds for payment of salary has not been complied.
“The amount has not been released in favour of Registrar General of this court till date. It has been made clear to the Government, on number of occasions, that it is their responsibility to provide complete paraphernalia to the people of the state for vindication of their legal rights, the HC said adding with “the courts have been constituted for this purpose but in order to overcome the difficulty of being under staffed, people, on daily wage basis, have been engaged from time to time to cope up with the heavy court work”.
Court directed the Chief Secretary to ensure release of requisitioned funds to the tune of Rs. 90 lakhs under subject ‘OE’ projected in the revised estimate for the year 2015-16 so as to ensure that people of the State do not suffer on any count and sought compliance of the direction from CS in this regard by next date.
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