SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Government has directed administrative departments and concerned officers to ensure timely filing of replies, affidavits and compliance reports in pending court cases, warning that delays leading to adverse judicial orders will be viewed seriously and responsibility fixed on the officers concerned.
The directions have been issued through Circular No. 15-JK(LD) of 2026, dated October 19, by the Department of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs.
The circular requires administrative departments, heads of departments and other concerned authorities to provide complete records, relevant documents and specific factual inputs to the concerned law officers and Officers In-charge of Litigation (OICs) sufficiently in advance to facilitate the timely preparation and filing of replies and affidavits.
In cases involving the implementation of judicial directions, departments have been asked to furnish the latest compliance status, supported by documentary evidence, to the concerned law officers and OICs well before the scheduled hearing.
The government has also directed OICs to maintain close coordination with the respective administrative departments and law officers to ensure that replies, affidavits and compliance reports are submitted before the concerned courts and tribunals within the stipulated time.
According to the circular, any delay or failure to provide the required records, instructions or compliance reports that results in non-filing of replies or affidavits, or adverse judicial orders, will be viewed seriously. Responsibility will be fixed on the officers concerned under the applicable rules.
The instructions have been issued with the stated objective of ensuring effective representation of the government before courts and tribunals and preventing delays in responding to judicial proceedings, particularly contempt petitions.
The circular refers to an order dated August 14, 2026, passed by the Srinagar Bench of the Central Administrative Tribunal in Contempt Petition No. 520/2025, titled Ashwani Kumar versus H. Rajesh Prasad and Others, arising out of T.A. No. 733/2022.
