*Health Deptt’s certificate on disinfection made mandatory
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Sept 30: The functioning of High Court, which too was rendered paralyzed by the devastating funds in summer capital of the State, is all set to be back on the normal track from the second week of October when it will re-start delivering justice from its original building at Jehangir Chowk.
However, the issuance of formal certificates by the Health and Public Works Departments about hygiene and safety aspects of flooded judicial infrastructure has been made mandatory before re-start of functioning not only in Srinagar wing of the High Court but also other courts in flood-ravaged districts of the Kashmir valley.
Reliable sources told EXCELSIOR that judicial record in the original High Court building at Jehangir Chowk, which remained inundated for several days due to massive floods, has been retrieved from the complex and is presently being dried up with utmost precaution as per the instructions issued by the Chief Justice M M Kumar.
“Seventy five percent record lying in the flooded portion of the complex suffered damages while as remaining 25% was managed to be retrieved by the Chowkidar deputed in the complex before the level of flood water increased”, sources said, adding “at present inventory of 75% record, which was retrieved following receding of water, is being prepared so that whatever record is found unfit for use, could be rebuild with the assistance of concerned lawyers, Advocate General/Additional Advocate Generals and Government offices”.
Stating that all out efforts are going on to restore flood hit part of the High Court complex to its original condition, sources said, “Chief Justice, who is regularly taking feed-back about the progress of restoration work, has decided to resume functioning of Srinagar Wing of the High Court from Jehangir Chowk complex anytime during the second week of October”.
“No doubt, Chief Justice with his personal efforts got functioning of the High Court restored from the makeshift arrangement at Gupkar Road, the restoration of original complex was imperative to ensure normal and hassle free functioning of the judiciary”, they said.
However, the District Court of Srinagar will continue to function from the makeshift arrangements as original complex has yet not become suitable to facilitate normal judicial work, sources informed.
At present, District Court Srinagar is functioning from two different locations—Moot Court Rooms of Law Department of Kashmir University and Custodian General building at Hyderpora. On the directions of the Chief Justice, jurisdictions of these two temporary courts have also been defined.
Similarly, the courts in other flood-affected districts of Kashmir valley have been functioning in the peripheral areas with many difficulties so that justice is not denied to the people.
“High Court Judges as well as Judicial Officers of other courts would formally resume work in the flood-hit infrastructure only when the Health and Public Works Departments formally issue certificates about safety and hygiene conditions court wise after completion of restoration works”, they said, adding “Chief Justice doesn’t want to put the lives of judicial officers and staff to any sort of risk and the condition has been laid down keeping in view this aspect only”.
According to the sources, Chief Justice has also directed all the Principal District and Sessions Judges of the flood-ravaged districts to submit reports vis-à-vis record damaged due to the floods. “Their reports would form the basis for the decision about rebuilding of record”, they said, adding “the inventory of damaged record has also been sought in order to ensure that nobody dares to raise any legal issue vis-à-vis record in future, which otherwise would lead to chaos and confusion”.
It is worthwhile to mention here that Administrative Judges of the flood-hit districts have also been closely monitoring the situation to ensure that normal functioning of subordinate judiciary is restored as early as possible. They are personally paying visits to different areas to take stock of the damage to judicial infrastructure and record.
Follow our WhatsApp channel