S Sabaqat
Srinagar, Oct 28: Jammu and Kashmir High Court has pulled up state Law Department with an observation that due its 'non-seriousness' disposing of court cases has reached alarming proportion.
A single bench of the court comprising Justice Ali Mohammad Magrey made the observations while hearing a petition filed by one Abdul Rassaq.
The respondents (government) have not filed response to the petition for two years despite directions by the court from time to time.
"Delay in disposing of court cases has reached alarming proportion," the court said, attributing the reason for such delay mainly to counsel and approach adopted by respondents.
"In the instant case, notice stands issued on September 2, 2011 and since then respondents have not filed any reply," the court said and added, "The law department does not seem to be serious to have the matters contested which is evident from the approach adopted in the present case," the court said.
Three state counsels, Additional Advocate General R A Khan, Deputy Advocate General Hilal A Lone and advocate Tasaduq Khawaja are entrusted to contest the case at the expense of public exchequer, the court observed.
"Lack of coordination is writ large, depicting non-seriousness of the concerned governmental functionaries which is detrimental to public interest," the court said. "It would have been appropriate that in the matters where the issue involved is concerning more than one department, only one state counsel is engaged for contesting the matter." The court asked state government to ensure effective mechanism for effective representation in the court cases.
"The matter needs to be considered by the government," the court said, directing registry to fax the copy of the order to Chief Secretary of State.
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