Srinagar, May 22 (KNO): The Jammu and Kashmir High Court has said that it will hear the cases of Jammu and Leh region in its Jammu wing and cases filed in the court from Kargil and Kashmir regions in its Srinagar wing respectively.
In this regard, the directives were issued by the chief justice of Jammu and Kashmir High Court, Justice Pankaj Mithal, a copy of which lies with the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO).
The High court said that the cases related to Jammu wing would mean all writ petitions, Public Interest Litigation, appeals, arbitration applications, Misc applications etc in which the subject matter is situate or cause of action arises or parties to the parties who reside in any part of the revenue limits of Jammu Division of UT of J&K comprising districts of Jammu division.
It also said that the cases related to Srinagar wing would mean all writ petitions, Public Interest Litigation, appeals, arbitration applications, Misc applications etc in which the subject matter is situate or cause of action arises or parties who reside in any part of the revenue limits of Kashmir Division of UT of J&K comprising of its districts and also in which the subject matter is situate or cause of action arises or parties to the parties who reside in the revenue limits of district Kargil in UT of Ladakh.
The High court said that in ordinary course filing shall be done in physical mode in the concerned wing of the High Court; however, e-filing is also permitted through any available digital mode.
“In view of the availability of the facility of filing through e-mode as well in both wings of the High Court, no application shall be entertained for seeking permission to file a case, related to a particular wing, in other wing of the High Court,” the High court ordered.
It also said that in case a party opts for e-filing, for record purpose, such party shall also submit hard copy of the matter to the concerned wing of the High Court either physically or through any other available alternate mode like Registered Post, Speed Post etc with promptness.
“The litigants of Ladakh instead of travelling to Srinagar or Jammu for filing matters in the High Court may approach to the "Vidhik Seva Kendra" in their district to avail the facility of filing their matters through e-mode with the help of "Vidhik Seva Kendra". The matters of Ladakh so filed may, if possible and convenient, be heard in the concerned wing through video conferencing,” the high court said.
“The matters filed in physical mode would be processed by the Registry in the normal mode to be placed before the Bench concerned as per the roster and a soft copy of it would also be prepared for the record purpose,” it reads.
It also states that where the matters are filed through e-mode, for facilitating immediate hearing of such matters, the Registry shall take print out of such matters and place it before the roster bench hearing the matter.—(KNO)