J-K HC uses videoconferencing to conduct proceedings

The Jammu and Kashmir High Court today used videoconferencing to conduct proceedings of four cases from remote Kargil and Leh districts, marking a landmark step in the functioning of higher judiciary in the state.
Out of four cases, Justice Mohammad Yaqoob Mir delivered judgments in two on the spot while one case was reserved for order through videoconferencing.
The four cases from Kargil and Leh pertained to the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council which was represented by counsel Asif Maqbool in Srinagar. The parties to the cases participated in the proceedings via videoconferencing from the Deputy Commissioner's Office, Kargil.
Justice Mir said the new initiative was a landmark step towards bringing judiciary to the doorstep of people living in far-flung areas of the state.

"It will bring relief to the people of the state from remote areas who want to approach the high court for redressal of their grievances. Now, they will be able to file petitions and participate in court proceedings without physically appearing in the court," Justice Mir said.
In future, the facility can be used where the counsel could argue and present the case from far-flung areas like Leh, Kargil and Gurez. This would make the justice delivery system available speedily and inexpensively, he added.
On the occasion, Justice Mir praised the Jammu and Kashmir High Court Chief Justice Badar Durrez for making the facility functional in a short span of time. The proceedings of the case in Srinagar were witnessed by dozens of lawyers and staff of the court.