Easy access to justice remains a dream for vast population
*Mechanism can’t be implemented in absence of 4G
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, June 23: Poor internet connectivity has created a roadblock in the start of Camp Courts in several inaccessible areas of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir thereby depriving vast population of the benefit of mechanism devised by the High Court in order to provide easy access to justice at the doorsteps.
The mechanism of establishing Camp Courts for the inhabitants of the inaccessible areas of several districts of the erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir was devised by the High Court early last year on the basis of reports received from the District Judges on the instructions of the Chief Justice Gita Mittal.
As per these reports, several areas of Kathua, Reasi, Poonch, Ramban and Kishtwar districts of Jammu division and Ganderbal, Bandipora, Baramulla and Kupwara districts of Kashmir division remain cut off even from the nearest courts for months together due to the vagaries of weather as a result people hailing from these areas remain deprived of access to justice.
In order to provide justice to the people of such areas at their doorsteps, the High Court decided to establish Camp Courts and after a detailed exercise the centrally located convenient places were identified and notified. Moreover, a successful trial was conducted by establishing one Camp Court at Sirshi Janakpur in Dachan area of Kishtwar district.
To pave the way for expeditious action on the mechanism, High Court even prepared Rules governing the filing of cases in the district/subordinate courts and the High Court by the persons residing in the remote areas.
“Everything was in place by August last year but snapping of internet services on the basis of advisory issued by the security agencies created roadblock as transmitting of data electronically had to play crucial role in the entire exercise”, sources said.
They further said, “as present 2G speed is not adequate for transmitting of data from the remote areas the High Court has for the time being shelved the plan to make Camp Court functional in the identified inaccessible areas”, adding “because of poor internet connectivity easy access to justice as per the mechanism devised by the High Court has remained a distant dream for the vast population”.
In response to a question, they said, “these areas even don’t have landline telephone facility as such Camp Courts would be largely dependent on good internet speed to achieve the objectives behind their establishment”, adding “High Court doesn’t want Camp Courts to remain ineffective after their establishment in the absence of proper internet connectivity”.
Describing the mechanism of Camp Courts as the most convenient method to ensure access to justice at the doorsteps of inhabitants of these areas, sources said, “a party residing in a remote area desirous of filing a case before a Judicial Magistrate will be able to file the same before the nearest Approved Centre operated by the Government of India/UT Government and approved by the High Court or the nearest Post Office established by the Department of Post in collaboration with the J&K Legal Services Authority”.
Moreover, a Para Legal Volunteer/ Panel Lawyer duly appointed by any Legal Services Institution attached to the concerned Approved Centre will assist the party in drafting/filing of the case(s) at the designated Approved Centre.
As per the Rules, the proceedings will be conducted through the electronic mode between the concerned court and the Approved Centre/Post Office and all the cases pertaining to the remote areas and filed under this mechanism will be separately shown in the daily cause list and the courts shall dispose of such matters on priority basis.
The inaccessible areas which have been brought under the ambit of mechanism are Marwah, Warwan and Padder in Kishtwar district; Gulabgarh belt in Reasi district; Barmota, Doulka, Roulka, Bhandar, Sandroon, Sandhi, Dhaggar, Dhaman, Bhakoga, Koti and Banjal in Kathua district; Marah, Dogrian and Poshana in Poonch district; Kangan belt in Ganderbal district; Shagan, Mahoo, Mangat, Trigam, Dhanmasta, Neel Bohardar, Pogal and Bingara in Ramban district; Upper Uri belt, Upper Rafiabad belt (Dangiwacha) in Baramulla district; Teetwal, Machil, Keran, Jumgund and Badnambal in Kupwara district and Gurez, Tulail, Aragam, Gujarpati, Chatti Bandi Chanapal, Groori, Hajin, Challiwan, Budiyar, Attawatu, Pawar, Taughat, Wavan and Chhandaji in Bandipora district.
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