Bar on strike, seeks removal of ADC Handwara
Irfan Tramboo
SRINAGAR, Aug 8: The administration and the lawyers in North Kashmir’s Handwara are at loggerheads over the alleged ‘incompetency’ of the Additional Deputy Commissioner, Handwara with there being huge pendency of land revenue appeals and land registrations in the ADC’s office.
While the issue has been going on for a while now, Bar Association Handwara said that they have been receiving representations from the people alleging that the corruption and malpractices were in vogue at the Additional Deputy Commissioner’s office and that they were suffering as the office has not been cooperating with them on any matter
Advocate Shahnawaz Mir, Secretary, Bar Association Handwara told Excelsior that they had grievances with the concerned official, however, he has not been bothering to address the same.
“As the land registration falls under his control, his office has been resorting to malpractices as those who have secured their online slot for the registration their cases are not being entertained, while as the blue-eyed people are being given preference,” he said.
He said that the land revenue appeals are not being entertained and scores of such appeals are lying pending as he is “incompetent and has no knowledge of the law which he has himself accepted.”
It is to be noted here that recently, the members of the Bar Association went to meet him and raise the issues faced by the public and the lawyers’ community, however, the Bar Association alleged that few of their colleagues were instead manhandled by the ADC.
“He manhandling and abused them and in turn, an FIR was lodged against two of our colleagues and we complained against him in the CJM court and the court took note of it and he was issued a notice,” Advocate Shahnawaz said.
Also, worth mentioning here that the concerned official-while giving the reason for the slow process of registration-has alleged that the registrations “earlier used to happen through courts, and there is accountability in his office that’s why the registrations take time.”
Another member of the Bar, Advocate Riyaz Ahmad, said that the concerned official has been highly discourteous and has been resorting to ill-approach towards the association members and general public.
The Bar Association Handwara said that the officer is incompetent and should be immediately transferred so that the public works do not suffer.
The Bar members are since last night on a sit-in protest while their President is on a hunger strike and told Excelsior that the protest will continue till action is taken against the erring official.
They said that this time they are going to remain steady to make the administration take note of the matter and act against him for making the general public suffer.
In the meantime, the Deputy Commissioner, Kupwara Imam-u-Din visited the ADC office Handwara and listened to the demands of the lawyers on strike. He assured them that he will look into the matter.
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