Jammu & Kashmir And Ladakh High Court Chief Justice Inaugurates Court Complex, Legal Literacy Club In North Kashmir's Gurez

While inaugurating the new court complex in North Kashmir's Gurez area on Saturday, the Chief Justice of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court Justice N. Kotiswar Singh emphasized the importance of a robust judicial system in ensuring the rule of law and safeguarding the rights of citizens.

Addressing a gathering on the occasion, Justice Singh said that the event marks a significant step forward in enhancing access to justice for the people of the remote region.

"With the latest facilities and a dedicated team of legal professionals, the complex is expected to expedite the legal processes, reduce case backlogs, and provide timely justice to those in need," he said, according to a press release issued by the J&K Information & Public Relations Department. 

The ceremony was also attended by Justice Moksha Khajuria Kazmi (virtually); Principal and District Sessions Judge, Bandipora, Amit Sharma; Deputy Commissioner, Bandipora, Dr Owais Ahmad; SSP Bandipora, Lakshay Sharma; Judicial Magistrate (First Class), Shayesta Nazir; members of the Bar Association Gurez and representatives from the legal fraternity.

Justice N. Kotiswar Singh also expressed his gratitude to the district administration of Bandipora, the judiciary, and all stakeholders involved in making Court Complex at Gurez a reality. “This infrastructure development is a testament to the commitment to strengthening the justice delivery system and ensuring swift and fair resolution of disputes,” he said.

Justice Moksha Khajuria Kazmi, the Administrative Judge for District Bandipora, said said that Judiciary has "always ensured justice to remote areas" of the country and the visit of Chief Justice to Gurez for the inauguration of new court complex is one such example.

During the event, the Principal and District Sessions Judge said the recently constructed Court Complex has state-of-the-art facilities, including modern courtrooms equipped with advanced technology to streamline proceedings.

“The complex also houses administrative offices, conference rooms, and a dedicated space for alternative dispute resolution mechanisms, providing a comprehensive framework to cater to the diverse needs of the legal community and the public,” he said.

Later, the Chief Justice inaugurated Legal Literacy Club at Government Boys Higher Secondary School Dawar, which aims to "empower young minds with essential legal knowledge and foster a sense of legal responsibility among them."

"The Chief Justice also presided a legal awareness programme on Drug Abuse and Eradication of Drugs, which included informative sessions, presentations, skits and interactive discussions on various legal topics. The Chief Justice in his address to students, advised them to stay away from the drugs in life at all cost and in any situation. He said that drug abuse is a big challenge in our society and we collectively need to raise voice against it and save our children and youth from this menace," the government said in the press release.