J&K High Court Bar Association Jammu Demands Shifting Of District Courts And Other Forums To Raika Along With High Court

The Jammu & Kashmir High Court Bar Association at Jammu on Monday resolved in favour of shifting district courts and other forums to Raika, along with the High Court. The committee members, including senior advocates and former bar presidents/office-bearers, unanimously agreed on the need for infrastructural development and a better working environment for the legal fraternity.

It is pertinent to mention that last week Young Lawyers Association Jammu had resolved to stage a protest in the national capital if the present High Court complex was shifted to Raika, claiming that shifting would cause severe hardships for both legal professionals and the general public.

Clarifying their stand on the matter, the JKHCBAJ came to a unanimous decision that it is not opposed to the infrastructural development in the form of construction of the courts at Raika.

A press note issued to this effect reads that the members were unanimous to acknowledge their responsibility towards the new entrants and those aspiring to ensure a better state-of-the-art working environment for them.

"It was stressed by all the members that with the legal profession now being one of the most sought-after professions across the globe, the average annual law graduates in Jammu itself crosses several hundreds, and, therefore makes it imperative for a proportionate regular infrastructural growth", the note reads.

Acknowledging the concerns regarding forest land and standing trees, the members referred to the orders passed by the National Green Tribunal and the Supreme Court, which approved the diversion of forest land for the construction of the High Court and other complexes in Raika. Consequently, the members emphasized that decisions made by the courts should not be protested on the streets, and dissenters should refrain from inciting vulnerable individuals to protest against the court orders.

However, the association's members also stressed the importance of accommodating the District/Subordinate Courts, Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), Tribunals, and Sub-Registrars under the Registration Act in Raika. They called upon the elected team, headed by the president, to persuade the authorities to address this 'genuine demand' of the member advocates.

Furthermore, the meeting addressed the issue of misrepresentation in a local newspaper, which falsely attributed objections to the shifting of the courts to the J&K High Court Bar Association Jammu. The association emphasized the need for media houses, both print and online, to confirm information with them before publishing any version, considering the seriousness of the matter and the association's stature and dignity.

The meeting concluded with a resolution to actively pursue the shifting of the District/Subordinate Courts, CAT, Sub-Registrars, and Tribunals to accessible locations in Raika. This would ensure that lawyers and litigants have easy access to the justice dispensation system, in line with the current era of justice-at-doorsteps, the press note stated.

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