In a historic first, Justice Sanjeev Kumar, senior-most Judge of the High Court of J&K and Ladakh, presided over Division Bench proceedings from Gurez through virtual mode, marking a new chapter in technologically enabled justice system where geographical barriers no longer hinder access to courts.
Justice Sanjeev Kumar was on an official trip as Executive Chairman J&K Legal Services Authority regarding the child friendly scheme of NALSA-2024 and he heard all the listed cases from Munsiff Court Gurez through virtual mode.
The historic bench comprised of Justices Sanjeev Kumar and Sanjay Parihar, the former joined from Gurez while the latter was in Jammu wing of the High Court of J&K and Ladakh.
The lawyers also attended their cases from Jammu as well as Srinagar wings of High Court through video conferencing facility. As many as 45 cases from Jammu wing and 5 cases from Kashmir wing were heard through digital platform exhausting the entire Cause List for the day.
While this initiative has declared the availability of virtual facility from a cut off tehsil of Gurez Bandipora in courts, it has been widely applauded by the local stakeholders.
Justices Sanjeev Kumar impressed upon utility of this service by lawyers, litigants and defence personnel living in Gurez.
Justices Sanjeev Kumar directed Central Project Coordinator e-Court High Court of J&K and Ladkah, Fayaz Ahmad Qureshi to ensure seamless service of e-filing, display of timely case information, real time display of cause list for information of all the litigants to prevent any deprivation to such facilities.
For immediate installation of Kiosk in Munsiff Court Gurez, a direction was passed by Justice Sanjeev which will provide various e-Courts services to people of Gurez.
Justice Sanjeev Kumar, who is also Chairman of High Court Information Technology Committee, exhorted upon improvising the existing IT infrastructure to ensure leverage between physical and digital platform for ease of court business and enhancing digital access to physical platforms.
This move is first of its kind which will connect a cut off border area with rest of the world on digital platform.
By making proper use of the same, lawyers can e-file their cases anywhere in the country, e-file replies, check status of their cases, cause list of any court and keep the people of Gurez connected with all the courts across India. It will also bridge the geographical and snow barriers. People and lawyers expressed gratitude for such a unique beginning in such a distantly cut off area.