From June 1, all courts to function for 5 hours in J&K

In a historic decision, the Chief Justice of the common High Court of the Union Territories (UTs) of J&K and Ladakh, Gita Mittal, has abolished the 92-year-old practice of changing timings in summer and winter sessions of the courts.

The HC directed all courts of J&K and Ladakh to follow uniform timings of five-hour working from June 1.

The order stated that the timings of courts all over the country, except in one state, remain uniform all-round the year despite the extreme weather conditions. It is pointed out that only the Rajasthan High Court allows change in court timings for three months between April and June. The same is due to the geographical location of the state in the desert, which experiences exceptionally harsh summers with temperatures going well over 50° C.

Justice Mittal noted that the past summer timings followed from end of April to end of September every year were “way beyond what is considered as summer in any part of the country”. Similarly, winter timings followed from beginning of November to end of April were way beyond the winter season.

The full-fledged HC in the erstwhile state of J&K was established in 1928 by Maharaja Hari Singh. The practice of changing time had been followed since the establishment of the HC in J&K.

“Looked at from all aspects, any practice which reduces court timings from the required five hours, or results in the wastage of court time cannot be permitted,”, the order observed.

92-year-old practice goes

• The HC has abolished the 92-year-old practice of changing timings in summer and winter sessions of the courts.
• The practice in erstwhile J&K state to change court timings for five months from May to October and from November to end of April year is not justifiable.TNS