JAMMU, Nov 2: Senior BJP leader and former Sarpanch, Advocate Devraj Sharma, has welcomed the commitment expressed by Chief Justice of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, Justice Pushpendra Singh Bhati, to make the new judicial session more beneficial for the people, describing it as an important opportunity to strengthen public confidence in the justice delivery system.
Reacting to the reopening of the main wing of the High Court in Jammu following the annual Darbar Move, Sharma said that the success of the judiciary should ultimately be measured by its ability to protect the rights of ordinary citizens, provide relief to aggrieved people and ensure timely justice.
He said the Chief Justice’s assurance that the new session would be dedicated to the citizens of Jammu and Kashmir carried considerable significance, particularly for thousands of litigants who approach courts with the hope of securing justice, protecting their constitutional rights and resolving long-pending disputes.
Sharma observed that approaching a court often involves considerable financial, emotional and social hardships for ordinary people. Many litigants spend years pursuing cases related to property disputes, land ownership, service matters, family issues and compensation claims.
Repeated hearings, procedural delays, legal expenses and travel difficulties further increase their burden, particularly for people belonging to economically weaker sections who cannot afford lengthy litigation.
“The judiciary is the strongest institution of hope for a citizen who feels wronged or deprived of his legitimate rights. Every person approaching the court deserves to be heard fairly, treated with dignity and provided an opportunity to obtain justice without unnecessary delay,” Sharma said.
He urged the judicial administration to focus on reducing case pendency, improving case management, strengthening court infrastructure and ensuring the timely disposal of old and deserving cases.
He also stressed the importance of making legal assistance more accessible to poor and disadvantaged litigants who often struggle to understand complex judicial procedures.
Sharma said that the shifting of the High Court’s main wing from Srinagar to Jammu under the bi-annual Darbar Move should also be viewed as an opportunity to improve accessibility and coordination in judicial administration. He emphasised that adequate arrangements must be ensured so that litigants, lawyers and other stakeholders do not face unnecessary inconvenience during the transition.
He further highlighted the importance of technology-driven judicial services, online case-status facilities, virtual hearings wherever appropriate and transparent communication regarding court proceedings. Such measures, he said, could significantly reduce difficulties faced by litigants, particularly those travelling from remote and far-flung areas.
Emphasising the importance of public confidence in the judiciary, Sharma said that citizens must feel that the legal system is approachable, impartial and responsive to their concerns.
He expressed hope that under the leadership of Chief Justice Pushpendra Singh Bhati, the new judicial session would bring renewed attention to the concerns of common litigants and strengthen the justice delivery mechanism across the Union Territory.
He also appealed to members of the Bar, judicial officers and other stakeholders to work collectively towards making the judicial system more efficient, accessible and citizen-friendly.
Concluding, Sharma said that the strength of the judiciary should not be measured merely by the number of cases heard but by the confidence, relief and justice it delivers to ordinary citizens.
He added that for thousands of aggrieved people, the court remains their last hope, and that hope must not be weakened by avoidable delays and procedural difficulties.