*Both campuses lack vital infrastructure
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Jan 8: Despite being one of the oldest Academies of the country, the Jammu and Kashmir Judicial Academy is facing shortage of infrastructure as well as other paraphernalia mainly because of the indifferent attitude of the successive State Governments. In this way, hurdles are being created in the strengthening of the Judicial Academy as per the decision taken during the conference of Chief Justices of the country held last year.
Highly placed sources in State Judiciary told EXCELSIOR that Jammu and Kashmir State Judicial Academy holds the rare distinction of being one of the oldest Judicial Academies in India. Though it was not formally established and didn’t have regular infrastructure but it continued to function on the need basis.
It first started functioning in the year 1973 as Jammu and Kashmir Judicial Officers’ Training Institute under the leadership of the then Chief Justice of State High Court. Following Supreme Court’s thrust in case titled “All India Judges Association Versus Union of India” on in-depth training for Judicial Officers on regular basis through a regular set-up, High Court of J&K established regular Judicial Academy in the year 2001 vide Order No.342 dated July 26, 2001. Since then Jammu and Kashmir State Judicial Academy is functioning regularly and is holding training programmes on regular basis.
Since the State of J&K is having sitting both at Jammu and Srinagar, Judicial Academy too moves with the move of the capital of the State from Jammu to Srinagar and vice-versa. Consequently, Academy has two campuses-one at Jammu and another at Srinagar.
“However, Judicial Academy continued to face the indifferent attitude of the successive Governments in Jammu and Kashmir as there was no timely clearance of the proposals submitted by the High Court for providing adequate infrastructure to the Academy besides sufficient manpower”, sources regretted.
This can be gauged from the fact that Academy, which received proper building at Srinagar in the year 2013, doesn’t have guest houses and hostel block despite repeated directions to the State Government for release of funds.
In the devastating floods of September 2014, huge damage was caused to the infrastructure both electronic and physical. Though some part of physical infrastructure was restored and renovated, electronic infrastructure, auditorium and lecture halls remain to be refurnished, sources said, adding “for this a proposal for allotment of funds was sent to the Government through High Court but till date no action has been taken on the proposal”.
As far as Jammu campus is concerned, sources said, “Academy had made a detailed proposal for construction of building comprising of Auditorium Block, Judicial Block, Guest House, Hostel Block and development works and the same was submitted to the Government but the latter didn’t accord administrative approval and rather asked for separate drawing of auditorium”.
“The matter is pending before the Infrastructure Committee of the High Court and till date no response has been received from the Government”, sources said.
What to talk of creating sufficient infrastructure, the successive State Governments even failed to provide sufficient human resource to the Judicial Academy and proposals submitted by the High Court from time to time for creation of posts have not been taken seriously, sources further said.
“In this way, the Government is creating hurdles in giving practical shape to the thrust laid during the Conference of Chief Justices held last year”, they said while disclosing that during this conference much emphasis was laid on strengthening of the State Judicial Academies keeping in view the activities being carried out by them.
It is pertinent to mention here that Judicial Academy besides giving training to the Judicial Officers, is also conducting training programmes for the Advocates, High Court staff, staff of the District Judiciary, Public Prosecutors, Police Officers and other public officers discharging judicial/quasi-judicial functions including Tehsildars and Naib Tehsildars (Executive Magistrates), Deputy Commissioners and Assistant Commissioners, Sales and Commercial Taxes Department, Deputy and Assistant Commissioners of Excise Department and Deputy and Assistant Commissioners of Labour Department.
Moreover, the Judicial Academy is also imparting trainings to the police officers on various topics touching the criminal justice delivery system and Juvenile Justice Act and Rules.
Follow our WhatsApp channel