Srinagar, July 04 (KNO) : With more than 12,000 matrimonial cases pending in different courts of Jammu and Kashmir, the state government has utterly failed to setup even a single family court to address these cases on fast track basis.
According to the figures available with Kashmir News Observer (KNO), 1,431 family related cases are pending in Srinagar district and 3,768 cases are pending in Jammu. With the absence of family courts, general courts are over-burdened by the load of pending cases.
In 2018, State Administrative Council (SAC) led by Governor Satya Pal Malik approved establishment of two Family Courts-- one each at Jammu and Srinagar. While more than 604 Family courts have been setup till March 2019 in different states of India, J&K is still waiting for one despite cabinet approval.
The establishment of Family Courts is going to help in speedy settlement of disputes related to marriage and family affairs. The Jammu and Kashmir Family Courts, Act was enacted in the State in November, 2018. It is pertinent to mention here that the draft Jammu and Kashmir Family Courts Bill was placed in the public domain for inviting objections and suggestions on September 18, 2018.
Senior Advocate of the High Court, Zaffar Qureshi told KNO that if government has given approval for establishment of family court in Srinagar, the implementation process should have been started at earliest.
“Maximum litigations in courts are related to family disputes. If we have dedicated court for it, the burden on general courts will go down,” he said. When asked, why there is delay in establishing such a court in Srinagar, Qureshi said, Chief Justice of High Court should have established one, if it’s already approved. “I don’t understand, why they are delaying it,” he said.
According to the sources, the establishment of Family Courts has been taken keeping in view alarming rise in disputes relating to marriage and family affairs and to ensure speedy disposal of cases. “These courts will hear matters related to domestic relationships, marriage, divorce, conjugal rights, guardianship, child custody,” they said.(KNO)