SRINAGAR: Members of Bar Association Budgam on Wednesday abstained from work as part of the indefinite strike  Budgam in the affairs of Judiciary and UT administration as regards setting up of the new court complex in the central Kashmir district.

“District Bar Association Budgam observed abstention from courts and this abstention call by DBAB (shall) continue indefinitely,” reads a statement issued by the lawyers’ body here to GNS.

The High Court of J&K and Ladakh, it said, had decided to shift the district court complex at Budgam to Ichgam, Budgam where an area of 117 Kanals and 18 Marlas of land were asked to be transferred to the judiciary.

In this regard an order was passed by the Registrar General High Court of J&K and Ladakh, asking the commissioner Secretary Revenue to transfer the land to Judiciary, it said. “Commissioner Secretary Revenue passed an order, in turn, directing DC Budgam to transfer stated land to the Judiciary. The DC Budgam is creating bottlenecks in implementation of the order of Commissioner Secretary Revenue,” the lawyers body said, adding, “The members of DBAB would continue to remain on strike in the court premises and demand transfer of DC Budgam immediately and take all steps necessary to transfer stated land to judiciary.”

The lawyers body said that it wants to bring it to the notice of the Authorities and General public that the court Complex Budgam is housed in a small place wherein even the accommodation for the courts is not sufficient.

“The court is not sufficient to accommodate seating of Advocates and litigants appearing in the courts”.  

Meanwhile, the lawyers body has written a protest petition Principal District & Sessions Judge,

Budgam, contending therein among others that “proposing the same land which already been proposed and approved by the Hon'ble High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh for the construction of the new District Court Complex at Itchgam, Budgam for an alternative purpose, such as the construction of

Maharastra Bhavan, is not only a blatant disregard of established legal processes and approvals but also a breach of trust and an affront to the sanctity of the judiciary's decisions.” (GNS)