KL Report
Srinagar
Chief Justice of India, Justice Altamas Kabir and Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah Sunday underscored the importance of Judicial Academy to strengthen the justice system and ensure prompt justice delivery to people.
Speaking at a function after inauguration of State Judicial Academy Complex by the Chief Justice of India in presence of the Chief Minister at Mominabad here, Justice Altamas Kabir and Omar Abdullah said that the training to judicial officers by the reputed faculty at the Academy would help in a big way to clear the litigations as early as possible and nurture budding judicial officers.
They said that the scope of the Academy can be extended to various types of people associated with delivery of justice for imparting necessary trainings relating to substantial justice delivery and dealing with people.
In his speech Justice Altamas Kabir said that the National Judicial Academy established at Bhopal provides judicial education to various types of people including Judges of Supreme Court and High Courts. He said State Judicial Academy could perform similar activity in the State. “You require more than what you already possess as Presiding Officers”, he told to the Law Officers adding that court management, case management, dealing with people and delivering substantial justice to people could be learnt in the Judicial Academy.
The Chief Justice of India said that the reputed and learned faculty at the Judicial Academy could sensitize the Law Officers about the need for basing their judgments on the ‘spirit of law’ rather than ‘letter-able law’. He said substantial justice always comes by taking to the course of spirit of law rather than letter-able law and this can be taught in the Judicial Academy in its right perspective.
Justice Altamas Kabir said that Bench and Bar are one unit and both should be firm on their duties and responsibilities to ensure justice to people. He referred to the preamble of Constitution of India which provides for social, economic and political justice and equality of status and of opportunity to all the citizens of the Country and said that the training and education of Law Officers in Judicial Academy could sensitize them fully about this and other aspects of the Constitution and the Law. He described lower judiciary backbone of the judicial system and highlighted its role in settling the litigations of different natures outside the courts through alternate method of Lok Adalats.
Justice Kabir said that district and lower courts play an important role to coupe up with the increasing litigations which have cropped up due to increase in population, crimes, unemployment and other aspects and added that outside settlement of litigations through Lok Adalats has attained significant importance in present day justice delivery system. He cited the example of holding of Mega-Lok Adalats in Medhya Pradesh where 27 lakh cases have been settled outside the courts in these Adalats.
The Chief Justice of India also cited the case of a girl namely Roopa of Jharkhand who had lost her leg in an accident and her case was settled in a Lok Adalat which was chaired by him. He said that her case was not included in the list for a trifle and unnecessary reason. “When I noticed the girl not leaving the premises, I enquired about the reason. She told me that her case of compensation was not decided. I examined the list and found that her case was dropped from the list unnecessarily. I immediately called for all records and she was awarded a compensation of Rs. 5 lakhs. After deciding the case, I told her what she wanted to become in her life. She told me that she would like to become a doctor. Fortunately some two weeks back I received a phone call from her telling me that she has secured fourth position in All India Medical Examination Entrance Test”, he narrated and said that a good thing which happened in Lok Adalat secured bright future for a poor sufferer.
In his speech, Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah highlighted the need for training of politicians in Parliamentary business and procedures adding that while bureaucrats, officers, judiciary and all others involved in different activities undergo trainings, there is no procedure or system for politicians to undergo required trainings in their field. In response to this, the Chief Justice of India said “law makers don’t come to learn the laws”.
Omar Abdullah said that development of human resources is of utmost importance than construction of complexes. He said better faculty is always responsible to develop human beings holistically and impart quality education to them. He expressed the hope that the State Judicial Academy would make its mark as one of the best trainings giving and education imparting institutions in the Country.
“While many Judicial Academies may envy your complex, you should endeavour to make them envy your faculty”, he said and hoped that best legal minds in the Country will come here to impart trainings to the budding officers. He said the product that will come out of the Academy after getting quality training from legal luminaries would be of high standard to delivery with capacity and calibre.
Omar Abdullah said that his government would provide all support to strengthen the institutions like judiciary adding that most of the institutions in the State got severally affected during the long period of disturbance. “We are endeavouring to restore their credibility and put them back on rails”, he said assuring all help in the process of making judiciary stronger and prompt delivering. He said his government would like the Judicial Academy to function permanently at Jammu and Srinagar and further grow and develop to become the institute of high standard and repute.
Addressing the function, the Supreme Court Judge, Justice, Terath Singh Thakur referred to the special constitutional position of Jammu and Kashmir and the saga of disturbance it has passed through. He lauded the efforts of Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah and those of the Government of India to restore peace and tranquillity adding that signs of stability and pause prevailing in the State should act as stepping-stone to rebuilt institutions and nurture human resources.
He said that development of human resource is of much more significance than constructions and financial aspects. He said State Judicial Academy could provide rich dividends to the State in the form of human resource development. He said officers dealing with justice like Tehsildars, Excise Officers and others could also be given trainings in this institution about the delivery of justice. He said healthy institutions have healthy effect on the society. He said when peace leaves these institutions scramble and the security of people gets injured.
He praised the State Government for providing huge chunk of land to the Judiciary for building District Court, Judicial Academy and other Courts in Srinagar.
Chief Justice of Jammu and Kashmir High Court, Justice M. M. Kumar described the occasion a historic one and the day as a golden day in the Judicial History of the State. He referred to the growth of Judicial Academy and said that Chief Justice of Jammu and Kashmir, Mr. Justice Murtaza Fazal Ali was founder of Judicial Officer’s Training System in the State in 1972 and said that this system is now recognized as an important aspect in nurturing law officers and court staff under which Judicial Officers were provided training.
Justice Kumar referred to the historic and outstanding decisions given and statements recorded by the Judicial Magistrates in various cases and added that the Supreme Court of India has underlined their performance as of highest standard and lauded their performance in judicial process. He said Judicial Academy could nurture Law Officers provide best trainings and education to them. He said a similar Academy Complex will be set up at Jammu.
He said that efforts would be made to provide best faculty to the Academy for providing training and education to the trainees here.
Judges of the High Court Justice Mansoor Ahmad Mir, Justice Virender Singh and Minister for Law and Justice, Saifullah Mir also spoke on the occasion.
Justice Mir presented welcome address while Mr. Justice Singh presented the vote of thanks.
Minister for Law and Justice, Saifullah Mir in his speech said that government has sanctioned 14 Mobile Courts and 22 Munsif Courts while creation of Fast Track Courts and 22 Deh Adalats are made active consideration. He said Constitution of Law Commission and Litigation Policy is also in the offing. He said translation of important laws in official Urdu language is under process.
First Lady, Mrs. Usha Vohra, Minister for Floriculture, Peerzada Mohammad Sayed, Chief Secretary, Mohammad Iqbal Khandey, Advocate General, Isaq Qadri, various Judges of State High Court, former Chief Justices of J&K High Court, District and Session Judges and members of the Bar and Bench were present on the occasion besides law students from University and other Law Colleges.
The dignitaries were presented mementoes by the State Judiciary.
The Chief Justice of India Justice Altamas Kabir was also presented memento on behalf of the citizens of Srinagar by Commissioner Srinagar Municipal Corporation, Dr. G. N. Qasba.
The construction of the State Judicial Academy Complex involves an expenditure of Rs. 69.2 crore. It has been constructed by JKPCC and its total floor area is 14747 sft. It has also been completed in a record time period.
