High Court of Punjab and Haryana Chandigarh ANNUAL REPORT 2012
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ANNUAL REPORT 2012 High Court of Punjab and Haryana Chandigarh Annual Report 2012 1 Acknowledgement This compilation would not have been possible without the valuable inputs given by the Registry. Sh. Surinder Gupta, Registrar General and Sh. Shekhar Kumar Dhawan, Registrar (Vigilance) showed keen Editorial Board: interest to make available the relevant data. Sh. Harnam Singh, Registrar (Admn.), Sh. K.K. Kareer, Registrar (Recruitment), Sh. Justice K. Kannan Surya Partap Singh, Principal Secretary to the Chief Justice-cum- Justice Rajiv Narain Raina Registrar, Sh. Karunesh Kumar, Registrar (Rules), Sh. Sunil Kumar Justice S.P. Bangarh Chaudhary, Registrar (Judicial), Sh. Ravi Kumar, OSD (Vigilance) Haryana, Sh. M.P.S. Pahwa, OSD (Vigilance) Punjab and Sh. Puneet Mohan Sharma , OSD (Recruitment) also assisted the committee substantially in our work. The inputs furnished by Director (Admn.) Chandigarh Judicial Academy, Member Secretaries, State Legal Services Authorities helped immensely in giving shape to the report. Strenuous efforts of Ms. Jaishree Thakur, Advocate, Editor, ILR also require special mention which helped in compiling the chapter „March of Law‟. We extend our gratitude to all the officials of this Court especially Sh. Mukesh Sharma, Superintendent, who whole heartedly devoted themselves in helping us with all information to make this report comprehensive. Having acknowledged the valuable contributions in preparation of this Annual Report, we deem it our duty to own responsibility for any Designed & Compiled by: mistakes, errors or omissions. Sh. Tarsem Mangla, Registrar (Computerization) Editorial Board Sh. Ravdeep Singh Hundal, OSD Sh. Rajwant Singh, Court Manager Annual Report 2012 2 Annual Report 2012 3 C Part A Page Introduction 2 From the Desk of the Chief Justice 4 Judges 7 The Bar 31 March of Law 2012 35 Statistics 53 Part B Legal Services Authorities:Punjab, Haryana & U.T. Chandigarh 63 Mediation & Conciliation 82 Lok Adalat 94 Judicial Academy 97 Part C Registry 103 I.T. Initiatives 106 Recruitment 120 Library 127 Infrastructure Development 130 Budget 138 Miscellaneous Initiatives 139 Annual Report 2012 4 Part A Annual Report 2012 5 Introduction A High Court website that functions such as receiving case papers, features full text of judgments, cause- listing dates for hearing; from a sizeable list of cases posted daily, various events number of lawyers, who advocate for and notifications for recruitment of staff, the causes of litigants to the dignified already provides much of the class of Judges that adjudicate on every information of what the legal community issue that is brought to a Court, the could be looking for. If one must, judicial machinery is mammoth. All its therefore, look for justification for functioning is geared towards its making a report of the Court's ultimate product, dispensation of justice. functioning in all its diverse jurisdictions, Every case that finds its utterance both judicial and administrative, then it through a Judge's disposition is the should be seen only in a new paradigm result of a coordinated effort by a of the information age of declaring the countless number of persons. However, court‟s performance without demand the institution is under constant stress and bringing to a reader more than and its performance is not at all times a what the Right to Information Act favoured topic of adulation but subject makes necessary. of vitriolic criticism. One does not need The judiciary is the bulwark of to be cynical but the fact is that the vibrant democracy in action and judiciary is always judged by how there occupies a pivotal role in the are still crores of cases that are waiting constitutional scheme of bringing to to be cleared. One hardly ever discusses fruition what, we the people of India the prodigious output that is churned have solemnly resolved to secure for out by constant judicial lucubration. An ourselves. From the magnificent objective assessment of the functioning constructions and infrastructure to the of the judiciary is never fully redeemed. large population of staff minding various Here then is the attempt to present Annual Report 2012 2 every bit of information that is normally public interest is kindled by what the cocooned from public domain. press feeds the public on. One may not The report of the year 2012 is an miss certain amount of sensationalism in endeavour to bring a performance audit all such journalistic news but they do of the Punjab & Haryana High Court in little justice to giving an idea of how the all its facets. The effort is not unique in Court actually performs. Some Courts any sense, for in several foreign have released sporadic reports but jurisdictions, there are legal mandates perhaps, what is needed is a for such disclosures. If there are law commitment to release them year after journals reporting judgments, they are year without fail. We believe that this accessed only by persons trained in law will be a harbinger to a new beginning: such as lawyers, academicians and a practice that must find approval from students, apart from litigants many more Courts. This report features themselves, who get to read the everything that you might like to know. particular judgments that the Courts Try us to ask what this report does not have decided in their own disputes. The yet give! Annual Report 2012 3 From the Desk of the Chief Justice It gives me immense pleasure in presenting this Annual Report for the year 2012 of the High Court of Punjab and Haryana. This Court was inaugurated by the First Prime Minister of India Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru on 19th March, 1955. During the last 58 years this Court has achieved many states will probably be the milestones. It has produced many stalwarts in legal first in the country, who profession and umpteen numbers of Judges of High Court of are able to fulfill this high calibre, many of whom have adorned the highest court dream of the Hon‟ble Chief of this country and brought laurels to this august institution. Justice of India. Strength Many commendable achievements of this Court, however, of the Judicial Officers has have gone un-noticed in the absence of proper also been increased documentation thereof. It is for this reason that this humble considerably and the beginning is made with an idea to prepare Annual Report, Courts which were over- every year now onwards, depicting comprehensive Report burdened in the past, have Card of this Court. been made efficient by The compilation of Annual Report highlights the proper distribution of work working & functioning of this Court on the judicial & in such a manner that now administrative aspects of administration of justice. The the work is being handled purpose of this Annual Report is to bring to the notice of all by the Presiding Officers, the stake holders, including general masses, the activities with quiet ease & being undertaken by this Court. convenience. This Court is taking steps for delivery of speedy In addition to the justice to the litigants by minimizing delay in decision of above, efforts have also cases. In the preceding years, number of steps were taken to been made to minimize curtail delay in disposal of cases and it has yielded fruitful problems being faced by results. The achievement in this direction is phenomenal. the litigants. Apart from The district courts in the states of Punjab & Haryana as well streamlining the working as Union Territory, Chandigarh have set a goal for of the subordinate themselves to wipe out the pendency of more than five years Judiciary as well as the old cases by the end of March-2014. If successful, these High Court, which is a Annual Report 2012 4 continuous process, steps have also been taken to bring Registry of this Court as justice at the door steps of the rural people by establishing well as Judicial Officers regular Courts at Sub Divisions and opening Gram Nyayalays and staff of District Courts, at other remote places. Now a litigant need not travel more all of whom are making than 15-20 Kms. to knock at the door of a court. Legal significant contribution to Services Authorities of the two States & Union Territory are streamline the working of doing exemplary work. Likewise, to resolve disputes amicably the Courts. at pre-litigative stage as well as during pendency, Mediation My appreciations are also movement is given desired momentum. due to the Editorial Board As we know that in India large population is as well as the team of the not aware of its rights and, if aware, is unable to approach officers who have the Courts for protection of their rights because of poverty. designed and compiled the Therefore, communications received from individuals or present report in a record NGOs seeking protection for the down troddens or raising time. other issues concerning interests of the society at large are being entertained as Public Interest Litigations for providing justice to the under privileged. On this occasion I would like to forward my best wishes to the Hon‟ble Judges, Officers and officials of the (A.K. Sikri) Annual Report 2012 5 Annual Report 2012 6 Judges Punjab and Haryana High Court is a common High Court for the States of Punjab and Haryana and Union territory of Chandigarh. It is situated at Chandigarh, the capital of the States of Punjab and Haryana. During the year 2012 the total working strength of the Judges in the High Court was 43 against the sanctioned strength of 68. Judges of High Court of Punjab and Haryana Name Term of Office* The Chief Justice 1. Justice A.K. Sikri 06.03.2016 The Judges 2. Justice Jasbir Singh 31.07.2014 3. Justice S.K.