Chandigarh, February 29
The Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Mr Justice B.K. Roy, has allocated the administrative work of sessions divisions to those High Court Judges who had expressed willingness to accept the responsibility.
Mr Justice Roy has allocated sessions divisions in exercise of his “inherent and residuary powers as the Chief Justice-cum-Chairman of the Full Court”.
Earlier, 20 Judges of the High Court had intimated the Chief Justice in writing on December 10 last that they would not look after the administrative work of sessions divisions allotted to them for 2003-04. The Chief Justice had requested them to reconsider their decision.
To sort out the contentious issue, it was placed before the Full Court thrice, but that too did not yield any result.
According to a press note issued by Mr Pritam Pal, Registrar (General) of the High Court, Mr Justice Roy decided to exercise his powers on February 25. In consultation with several colleagues, the Chief Justice next day allotted 24 sessions divisions to six Judges, who had expressed willingness to be the inspecting Judges.
Mr Justice Roy had also made it clear while exercising his powers that in case a Judge who initimated willingness to the Registrar (General) to resume administrative work, the sessions division allotted to him earlier would be restored and the new allotment cancelled. This was conveyed to all Judges.
Mr Justice S.S. Grewal, who was the Administrative Judge of the Chandigarh sessions division, informed the Chief Justice on the phone on February 27 that he was willing to look after the division. Mr Justice Roy restored the division to Mr Justice Grewal.
Another judge, Mr Justice Amar Dutt, informed the Chief Justice that he could not be the Administrative Judge of the Jalandhar sessions division because it was his home town.
After Mr Justice Grewal declined to accept the administrative work of Jalandhar, it was allotted by the Chief Justice to Mr Justice Swatanter Kumar.
