No Judicial Officer shall receive, see-off or visit visiting Chief Justice/ Judges during Court hours
STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court laid down guidelines for Subordinate Judiciary regarding visits of Chief Justice and other Justices of High Court.
According to a circular issued by Chief Justice Pankaj Mithal, Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court, no Judicial Officer shall receive, see-off or visit the visiting Chief Justice, Judges during Court hours. “During official visits of Chief Justice/ Judges, a senior non-Judicial Administrative Officer will receive and see-off and provide protocol services to them as per norms. If visiting Chief Justice/ Judge wants to hold a meeting or address Judicial Officers, it will be done either before or after Court hours. If visiting Chief Justice/ Judge wants to call Judicial Officer for official purposes, he will be called either before or after the Court hours. No Judicial Officer will visit visiting Chief Justice/ Judge unless called for official purpose. If arrangements in connection with an official visit of Chief Justice/ Judges are required to be made by District Judge or the Chief Judicial Magistrate, all bills shall be raised in the-name of High Court and the payment shall be made directly by the High Court to the extent permitted and no personal funds will be used by any Judicial Officer for the purpose,” the circular reads. No Judicial Officer shall arrange any private trip including any excursion trip or visit to a religious place for visiting Chief Justice/ Judges. No Judicial Officer will arrange hotel, food or transport for visiting Chief Justice/ Judge, their staff members and security personnel. No Judicial Officer or Court Servant will offer or provide any gift or hospitality to Chief Justice/ Judges. No function will be organized by the Judicial Officer(s) during the visit of the Chief Justice/ Judges except official functions which will be organized on written direction and at the cost of the Government. Any violation of these instructions will be considered as gross misconduct rendering the concerned Judicial Officer to strict disciplinary action. In addition to above, it is further provided that in the event of visit by any Chief Justice and Judge of High Court, no Judicial Officer shall be assigned duty as Liaison Officer and that only a senior non-Judicial Administrative Officer will perform services of a protocol officer unless such an officer is not available in which case preferably Mobile Magistrate/Traffic Magistrate or Leave Reserve Officers, if any, will be assigned duties as Liaison Officers and no Judicial Officer or District Judge shall receive or see off the Chief Justice or other Judges of Court during court hours at road-side or Highways or at any other place, it further added.