In a Public Interest Litigation filed by Suresh Kumar & other regarding dilapidated condition of Munsiff Court Akhnoor Building in which earlier Division Bench seeks personal appearance of three secretaries.
When the PIL Came-up for hearing, Division Bench of J&K High Court Comprising Chief Justice and Rajesh Bindal observed that the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the new court building has been forwarded to the High Court and further procedural steps would be completed at the earliest after approval thereof is received.
Division Bench after hearing Adv Ajay Bakshi for the PIL Observed that pursuant to our directions passed on 25th September 2020, Shailendra Kumar, Principal Secretary, PW (R&B) Department; Mr. Arun Kumar Mehta, Financial Commissioner, Finance Department; and Mr. Achal Sethi, Secretary, Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Union Territory of J&K are present in persons.
DB further observed that inasmuch as construction of the new court building would be time consuming, it is essential to immediately have an alternate arrangement.
During the course of hearing it is submitted by the counsel for the petitioner that the Principal District Judge, Jammu has identified three (03) alternate govt. buildings in which the existing court can be temporarily housed till construction of the new complex.
Upon this Division Bench directed Shailendra Kumar, Principal Secretary, PW (R&B) Department to submit a proposal to the Registrar General of the possible alternative buildings where the court complex can be temporarily housed.
During the course of hearing Adv Ajay Bakshi submitted that the Munsiff Court is situated at Fountain Chowk Akhnoor and the building of Munsiff Court has been established in the year 1964 and is very old building near about age of the building is 53 years and since the building is constructed, there is no renovation over the said building and the condition of the building is very dilapidated as said building is not repaired /whitewashed for so many years. It is worthwhile to mention herein that during the rainy season there is water logging from every corner of the building including the roof as well as the walls of the building and the iron rods of roof are also visible at several places. It is further submitted that the civil and criminal clerk of the court are sitting in the same room and during the rainy season, they shifted the civil as well as criminal files in the court room as there is continuous seepage of water In room of civil as well as criminal clerk from the roof and they are not in position to run the court work from the said room. It is further submitted that there is one record room and the condition of the record room is very dilapidated and the old record is placed inside the room is at the verge of dilapidation, even though the presiding officer of the said court had also given the representation to the district and session judge vide letter no. 237/M.A dated 13-11-2019 on the administrative side and also the respondent no. 2 vide letter no. 244/M.A dated 2-08-2016.