The Government of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir has not earmarked any funds for the construction of new High Court Complex at Raika on the outskirts of Jammu city during the current Financial Year (FY). Moreover, the Centrally Sponsored Scheme for development of judicial infrastructure doesn’t cover the High Courts, due to which the fate of the project continues to hang in balance.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that while the Government has made provision of crores of rupees for the construction of new buildings of the subordinate courts, residential complexes for judicial officers and advocate chambers during the current fiscal, no allocation has been made for the construction of new High Court Complex at Raika.
This is despite the fact that the foundation stone for the new complex was laid with much fanfare on June 28, 2023 by the then Chief Justice of India Dr Justice D Y Chandrachud in the presence of Lieutenant Governors of J&K and Ladakh Union Territories as well as Judges of the Supreme Court and the High Court of J&K and Ladakh.
Stating that budget of the Department of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs is not sufficient to initiate work on the Raika complex, sources said, “a major chunk of the department’s budget is being utilized for the ongoing construction of the new High Court complex at Srinagar. Until that project is completed, it is not possible to spare funds for the Jammu complex”.
“The uncertainty will continue for an unspecified time-frame as even funds from the Centrally Sponsored Scheme meant for the development of judicial infrastructure cannot be availed for the construction of new High Court complex at Jammu”, sources said, adding “the Centrally Sponsored Scheme primarily focuses on district and subordinate courts, not High Courts”.
“While the scheme provides financial assistance to States and UTs for improving infrastructure in lower courts, including construction and renovation, High Court buildings are generally funded separately by the respective State or UT Governments. However, the Central Government may provide additional Central assistance for such projects but no such proposal or exercise has so far been initiated by the J&K Government”, sources added.
When asked about the decision of the Union Territory of Ladakh to provide around Rs 20 crore to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir as its share for the construction of High Court complex at Raika, sources said, “this amount is grossly inadequate and J&K Government is likely to approach the Ladakh administration once again for increasing the share”.
“However, it is not clear whether the Ladakh UT will concede the request of J&K Government especially in the light of the fact that the amount of around Rs 20 crore has been worked out based on the population of Ladakh and litigations of the Union Territory in the common High Court”, sources said.
It is pertinent to mention here that J&K Government needs to arrange more than Rs 900 crore in order to give practical shape to the mega project as in the proposal technically vetted by Secretary Technical of the Public Works Department of J&K UT the initial cost of the project has been worked out at Rs 921.79 crore, which may go up further in case of more delay in start of the work.
The project was conceptualized as the existing campus of the High Court Jammu Wing is in a decrepit state and suffers on various factors. At the foundation stone laying ceremony, it was revealed that the new campus will have all multi-disciplinary facilities for an effective judicial eco-system.
