STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: Division Bench of State High Court comprising Chief Justice N Paul Vasanthakumar and Justice Dhiraj Singh Thakur on Friday directed Chief Secretary of J and K State to release a minimum of Rs 4 crore in favour of Jammu and Kashmir Projects Construction Corporation (JKPCC) within a period two weeks.
The direction came in response to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) regarding construction of lawyers’ chambers, parking and security of the Court.
The Division Bench after hearing the President Bar Association Jammu Advocate Abhinav Sharma appearing for the Bar Association also directed JKPCC to commence the works for the completion of construction and for laying the road at the entry point in war footing manner and complete the construction including opening works within a period of eight weeks.
The Division Bench directed the State to commence the blacktopping work of the road leading to new parking area in District Court Complex through the PWD immediately and if the same is not possible and the work has to carried out through some other agency, a sum of Rs. 50 lakh shall be sanctioned within two weeks and the executing agency shall also commence the work in two weeks’ time.
Senior Advocate Sunil Sethi appearing for the PIL submitted that security within the court complex is not adequate and the same is required to be strengthened by devising various future plans.
Division Bench said that on the administrative side this Court constituted security committee comprising sitting High Court Judge along with law officers, leading members of the Bar and officers of the High Court with effect from April 20, 2015 and it is seen that pursuant to the interim directions given by this Court a committee was also constituted earlier to review the security aspects at Jammu. “The committee constituted earlier had submitted its report before the Registrar General of this Court”, the DB said and directed Registry to forward the said report to the newly constituted committee so that it can devise ways and means to strengthen the security within court premises. JNF