Jammu & Kashmir State Judicial Academy (SJA) organised Refresher programme on topic "Appreciation of evidence with specific reference to Dying Declaration, Accomplice Statement and Confessional Statement” for Session Judges of Jammu Province at Judicial Academy Complex, Jammu, here today. Pertinently, similar program on topic “Management of Court Business, Use of ICT and Maintenance of Files” was organised for the Dealing Assistants of Subordinate Courts of Jammu Province at District Court, Jammu yesterday.Justice Janak Raj Kotwal, Judge (Retd.), High Court of J&K was the resource person for the training programme for the Sessions Judges.Justice Kotwal gave his scholarly discourse on the requirements of Evidence Act in the matter of appreciation of evidence by the courts. He highlighted that there is a need to have clear understanding and greater knowledge about the provisions regarding relevancy and admissibility of Dying Declaration and appreciation of evidence in such matters, as also the provisions relating to evidence of an accomplice in the crime and the confessional statements of the accused. He quoted the provisions of law and cited case law to deal with such matters in the courts of law.Rajeev Gupta, Director, J&K SJA, in a special session, discussed the effects of J&K Reorganization Act, 2019 on State Laws in Jammu & Kashmir and the pending cases.
He said that the legislative Assembly will be formed in J&K as UT but there will be no legislative Assembly in UT of Ladakh as it will be directly controlled by Union. There will be common High Court for Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh. Existing Law & Procedure for practice in High Court will remain the same, he added. He also stated that 108 Central Laws will now be applicable for the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir, 164 State Laws will be repealed and 166 State Laws will continue to be applicable. He also discussed the impact and interplay of repealed Acts and repealing Acts.In the other programme at District Court, Rajeev Gupta deliberated on the need for such refresher programmes for the dealing assistants of the Subordinate courts and said that platform provided by the Judicial Academy is an opportunity for them in updating their knowledge and clearing their doubts by interacting with the Resource persons.Resource persons exhaustively explained the rules of ethics and behaviour in dealing with superior officers, senior court staff, junior colleagues, Lawyers & litigants.Govind Ram Sharma, Mohammad Yusuf and technical Staff from e-Courts conducted the training sessions for the subordinate court staff.Govind Ram Sharma and Mohammad Yusuf enlightened the participants regarding ways and means which they can adopt while dealing with civil & criminal sarishta. They explained the subordinate court staff in detail as to how to write daily orders in the files, Record statement of witnesses, Prepare summons, notices, Completion of forms & statements and explained practical implications also. The participating officials freely interacted with the Resource persons and sought clarification on importance & use of ICT who cleared their doubts to their satisfaction.Both refresher programmes concluded with vote of thanks by Director, State Judicial Academy.