CJ directs for regular meetings of all the stakeholders and work out solutions to enhance the efficiency level of the judiciary
JKUT (Srinagar), July-15-2021-( JNF):- In order to enhance the efficiency level of the Judiciary, Chief Justice Pankaj Mithal of Jammu & Kashmir High Court directed have regular meetings of all the stakeholders where all can discuss their problems and work out solutions to enhance the efficiency level of the judiciary without causing any disturbance in the ordinary working of the other stakeholders.
Judiciary is the most important component of ihe justice delivery system, however there are other important stakeholders too viz., the Government, the Police, Jail Authorities and Prosecution wing, who also play the vital role to support the judicial system. Judiciary alone cannot stand and work in isolation effectively and efficiently, without the wholehearted support of Other stakeholders. It has been Observed that owing to lack of appropriate mechanism for ensuring coordination among all the stakeholders involved in justice dispensation, a judicial officer is unable to work up to its optimum potential. In order to strengthen the justice delivery system it is desirable that all the stakeholders work in tandem with each other to maximize the judicial output. Therefore, it is considered appropriate to have regular meetings of all the stakeholders where all can discuss their problems and work out solutions to enhance the efficiency level of the judiciary without causing any disturbance in the ordinary working of the other stakeholders.
CJ asked the Govt to authorise and direct its concerned administrative officers of each district to attend coordination meetings and render all assistance within their competence in taking all possible measures directed towards improving the justice delivery system.
CJM directed that a meeting known as ‘Coordination Meeting’ of all stakeholders viz. Deputy Commisisoner, SSP/SP Public Prosecutor and Superintendent of the Jail or any other relevant authority shall be held at the end of every quarter of the year on a regular basis with the Principal District Judge and the Chief Judicial Magistrate in each district.
The coordination meetings shall be called by the Chief Judicial Magistrate on the direction of the Principal District Judge and chaired by the concerned Principal District Judge. These shall be held at the District Court Complexes at any time convenient In all Ihe participants without affecting the normal business of theparticipants.
The Principal District Judge may co-opt any oilier person in such coordination meetings who is considered appropriate for rendering valuable assistance in fulfilling the purposes of such meetings. In the coordination meetings the participants shall discuss the issues concerning ways and means for effective, efficient and timely rendering of justice to the litigants, the infrastructural and other local difficulties faced by the judicial institutions at all levels in the District; and ways and means of developing and improving the system as a whole.
The Chief Judicial Magistrate shall act as Secretary lor the coordination meetings and all the secretarial communications with regard to the meetings shall be managed by him as per the instructions from Ihe Principal District Judge. The agenda for the coordination meetings shall be drawn well before the scheduled dale, at least a week before and shall be circulated among all the participants under the signature of the Chief Judicial Magistrate. Other participants may send suggestions regarding the agenda of the meeting, which may be considered and included in the agenda by the Chief Judicial Magistrate.
The Minutes of the meetings and the resolutions passed in such meetings shall be recorded in the ‘Minutes Book1 specifically maintained for the purpose and shall be signed by all the participants including the co-opted participants. The Secretary shall submit a copy of minutes and resolutions to the Secretary to the Administrative Judge of the District for being placed before the Administrative Judge. The minutes and resolutions shall be shared with all the participants to ensure effective follow up of all the actionable points. A copy thereof shall also be sent in the Registrar General and the Secretary to the Government, Law and Justice Department for monitoring the implementation of the actionable points and the resolutions thereof.
In the subsequent coordination meeting a report shall be presented by the Secretary as to action taken and progress made oil the actionable points of the previous meeting which shall be considered in the meeting before discussing the agenda for that meeting.
The participants shall, in some appropriate and urgent cases, br authorized to make recommendations for such actions Which may not be related to them or those beyond their control’and competence. Any resolution making such recommendations shall be sent to the Secretary to the Administrative Judge of the District and to the Registrar General, and the Registrar General may seek appropriate instructions in this regard from the Chief Justice for taking up the matter with the concerned authorities.
No actionable point shall be left unattended and put up lor reporting in more than two meetings consecutively. JNF