CJI DY Chandrachud Lays Foundation Stone Of New High Court Complex In Jammu, Launches E-Initiatives

Lieutenant Governor of J&K Manoj Sinha, Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, Brig B.D. Mishra (Retd.) and judges of the Supreme Court and High Court were present on the occasion.

Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal joined the event virtually.

Speaking at the ceremony, CJI Chandrachud described judicial officers as frontline warriors and exhorted them to live up to the expectations of the common man seeking justice.

"It is our endeavour that every section of the society, poor or underprivileged have access to Justice. The foundation of new High Court complex and the newly launched IT initiatives are pioneer steps in bringing reforms in the Justice delivery system,” he said.

Chief Justice of India advocated for increased female representation in the realm of law and justice, acknowledging the positive strides being made since the adoption of online video conferencing in the Supreme Court.

"The participation of women in the field of law and justice is less, similar is the case in J&K. Since the establishment of the High Court in the Union Territory, it has been very rare that a woman has become an HC judge or Chief Justice. Since the start of online video conferencing in SC, I've noticed the participation of many women lawyers," the CJI said.

The Chief Justice also launched e-initiatives for the judiciary of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, including a Document Management System for the High Court and a National Service for tracking electronic processes in the district courts of the two Union Territories.

These technological initiatives are expected to enhance the functioning of the courts and improve the system of justice delivery, he said.

Arjun Ram Meghwal, Union MoS for Law and Justice, Parliamentary Affairs, who joined through virtual mode, expressed hope that the DMS and N-STEP facilities would be milestones in the technology sector and would accelerate the pace of development and progress. He assured all possible financial support and adequate budget to the Government of J&K for the Judicial infrastructural development.

Speaking on the occasion, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha congratulated all the members of the Judiciary, legal fraternity and expressed gratitude to the Government of India for its support for the mega project.

“The new High Court complex of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh will be an integrated complex with state-of-the-art physical infrastructure and modern amenities,” he said.

The new complex is expected to be completed in record time, providing a much-needed upgrade to the existing Jammu High Court campus, which faces several challenges, including fire safety and security concerns, as well as inadequate storage space for files, officials said.

As per the official communique the new complex will be designed as a self-contained integrated complex and will provide a comprehensive judicial ecosystem. It will feature 35 courtrooms with the potential for expansion to 70, along with chambers for 1,000 lawyers and provisions for future expansion, they said.

The complex will also include auditoriums, an administrative block, meditation, medical, and computer centres, a judges’ library, and amenities for litigants. Additionally, it will provide accommodation, a Judicial Academy, and convention facilities.