Government of India on Thursday specified Jammu as the places at which the Benches of the Central Administrative Tribunal shall ordinarily sit for the J&K and Ladakh.

“In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (7) of section 5 of the
Administrative Tribunals Act, 1985 (13 of 1985), the Central Government hereby specifies Jammu as the place at which the Benches of the Central Administrative Tribunal shall ordinarily sit forthe Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir and Union territory of Ladakh,” reads the notification— G.S.R. 317(E).
However, in the subsequent notification (GSR 318(E), issued in exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) of the section 18 of the Administrative Tribunals Act, only Jammu bench has been mentioned having jurisdiction in J&K and Lakakh.

The notifications come around ten days after J&K high court had sought “competent authority’s” view on suggestion for having one CAT bench each at Jammu and Srinagar.

Hearing separate petitions, a division bench of Justices Rajesh Bindal and Sanjay Dhar had asked Vishal Sharma, Assistant Solicitor General of India, to seek instructions from the “competent authority” about the suggestion made by Abhinav Sharma, president Jammu Bar Association, about one bench each at Jammu and Srinagar.

Abhinav Sharma had submitted that considering that on an average 25-30 cases are filed daily before both the benches of the High Court pertaining to service matters, one bench in Jammu and Kashmir may not be sufficient. “There should be at least be one bench each at Jammu and Srinagar, to start with,” he said