SRINAGAR: In an interesting development the Chief Justice of Jammu and Kashmir High Court, Justice Pankaj Mithal directed that cases from Kashmir valley and Kargil should be filed, heard and decided in the court’s Kashmir wing in Srinagar while as cases from Jammu and Leh in its Jammu wing.
It’s important to note here that the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir has territorial jurisdiction over both the Union Territories of J&K and Ladakh.
As per a report published in the Outlook Magazine, the chief justice’s order comes as his office is inundated with requests for permission to file cases relating to one wing or the other. The Chief Justice’s directive reads, “This has rendered e-filing meaningless”,
The report further reads, “The practice of seeking permission to file a case, pertaining to a particular wing, in the other wing of the high court must come to an end when cases are permitted to be filed through e-mode…. In ordinary course, filing shall be done in the physical mode in the concerned wing of the high court; however, e-filing is also permitted through any available digital mode…. In view of the availability of the facility of filing through e-mode as well in both wings of the high court, no application shall be entertained for seeking permission to file a case, related to a particular wing, in the other wing of the high court…. The high court shall establish Vidhik Seva Kendras in both wings of the high court, and also in each district…to facilitate the filing of matters in concerned wings of the high court through e-mode…. The litigants of Ladakh, instead of travelling to Srinagar or Jammu for filing matters in the high court, may approach to the Vidhik Seva Kendra in their district to avail the facility of filing their matters through e-mode…. The matters of Ladakh so filed may, if possible and convenient, be heard in the concerned wing through video conferencing.”
Further details awaited.
