Chief Justice Jammu and Kashmir High Court, Justice Gita Mittal Tuesday interacted with Judicial Officers, President and Secretaries of District Bar Associations of J&K and Ladakh regions through Video Conferencing to sensitize them about the spread of novel coronavirus.Chief Justice also reviewed the measures in place with District Judges, other Judicial Officers, Presidents and Secretaries of all Bar Associations and impressed upon them to use Thermal scanners (non-touch) at checkpoints in the court complexes and avoid crowding by minimizing the footfall in the Court complexes.Principal District Judges were advised to sanitize the court buildings on daily basis. Judicial officers were also directed to ensure that sanitizers are available for visitors as well as staff. President Bar Associations were directed to advise the litigants not to visit courts unless their presence has been directed by the Court.Principal District Judges were also advised to take appropriate steps in consultation with the prisons department to avoid unnecessary crowding in lock-ups. Emphasis was laid on optimum use of Video Conferencing for conducting trials and for grant of remand to the accused persons.Justice Gita Mittal impressed upon all the participants to ensure that guidelines/advisories issued by the WHO, High Court, Central Government and Governments of J&K and Ladakh to prevent the spread of coronavirus are followed in letter and spirit. Later, she also interacted with the In-charges and inmates in the two Observation Homes at Harwan, Srinagar and RS Pura, Jammu through Video Calls and advised them on necessary precautions like regular handwash, avoiding frequent touching of nose, mouth and eyes.
The Chief Justice also instructed Superintendent Observation Homes to take care of the hygiene and diet of the inmates. Panel lawyers and PLVs were also present in the sessions and they were directed to assist inmates in seeking exemption from personal appearance.Justice Gita Mittal also interacted with Judicial Officers manning Sales Tax Appellate Tribunal, J&K Special Tribunal, Labour and Industrial Tribunal, Motor Accident Claims Tribunal and One Man Forest Authority to ascertain steps taken for social distancing to prevent the spread of novel coronavirus and advised them on avoidance of crowding in the premises and to sanitize the tribunal buildings on a daily basis.Meanwhile, on the instructions of Chief Justice J&K High Court Justice Gita Mittal, Justice Rajesh Bindal accompanied by registry officers took a round of High Court Complex at Jammu and took stock of the implementation of various instructions issued by the High Court to prevent the spread of coronavirus.Justice Bindal inspected the sanitation and cleanliness of the entire complex and instructed Registrar Judicial to ensure daily fumigation of the complex and increase the frequency of sanitizing work in the entire court complex including Bar Rooms, Bank, and Dispensary.He also inspected the working of infrared thermometer put to use at entry point by the High Court to screen various visitors entering the complex and also requested the lawyers to avoid unnecessary crowding in the Complex.Similarly, Justice Sanjeev Kumar visited District Court Complex Jammu and inspected implementation of the instructions of the High Court issued for the District and subordinate courts to prevent the spread of novel coronavirus.