Masoodi welcomes increasing strength of J&K HC judges

Srinagar, Jul 30: National Conference (NC) on Saturday welcomed increasing the strength of Judges in J&K High court saying the measure will help dealing with the large pendency of cases.
Welcoming the appointment of the Justice Rajesh Sekhri as Judge of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir, party leader and MP Anantnag Hasnain Masoodi said the High Court for the first time in its recent history, shall be working with the full strength of 17 Judges.
“This is no small achievement. The legal fraternity in Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh would remember the times when only 3 Judges against a sanctioned strength of 8 Judges, were in place. This continued for long and the lawyers and the litigant public had to face immense difficulties. Leaving the vacancies un-filled violates right of access to justice- an integral part of fundamental right to life and liberty guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution,” he added.
He held that the demand to have all the 17 Judges in place would have remained unrealised and the High Court working at full strength only a dream, without sincere and sustained efforts of Kiren Rijuju, Union Minister Law and Parliamentary Affairs. “The credit for this achievement therefore must rightfully go to Rijuju. Importantly Hon’ble Minister did not only ensure that the vacancies were filled up with due dispatch but also facilitated clearance of all the proposals received, without keeping even a single proposal pending. We must not underestimate how important it is for justice seekers to have High Court working at full strength,” he added.
With the present strength, we can expect two or even more division benches at Srinagar and Jammu, he added saying “This particularly will bring much needed relief to appellants in judicial custody in Criminal Appeals. In any case it is a big news for justice seekers in 50 thousand cases awaiting adjudication in two wings of the High Court.”
He also sought Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister’s role in filling up 170 vacancies at different levels in District Judiciary and sanction of Additional District Judge Court at Awantipora and upgrading Munsiff Courts at Pampore and Qazigund, so that timely Justice is done in approximately 3 lakh cases pending in different Courts in Jammu and Kashmir.