Inspects ongoing works in Court Complex
By News Agency of Kashmir
Jammu : Deputy Chief Minister Muzaffar Hussain Baig has said that lawyers have an important role to play in building healthy society and ensuring participation of the people in the same.
Baig was addressing Bar Council of Jammu today after he was formally invited the other day when a group of around 40 lawyers led by the President Bar Association of Jammu B. S. Slathia who called on him. Besides, facilitating him on becoming the Deputy Chief Minister of the state, they also apprised him about their problems.
Describing the interaction as home coming, Baig said that the government is fully aware of the problems being faced by the legal fraternity and effective measures would be taken to address the same. He said that government will construct an auditorium-cum- business centre and conference hall where lawyers can easily interact with each other and carry out the day to day chores without facing any inconvenience.
Responding to the demands made by lawyers about the new comers, Baig said that he has already talked to the J&K Bank for construction of libraries for the upcoming lot so that they don’t feel any inconvenience with respect to their day to day references and seeking guidance from various reference books. He said that the government will also try to engage the legal counsels and advisors with consultation of the Bar President and Advocate General of the state, so that everybody gets an equal opportunity to represent the government. He further added that the merit should be the only criteria in engaging the legal counsels rather than any other affiliation. “We will also try to subsidize the life insurance cover for the lawyers”, he added.
With reference to the demand of the Council regarding amendment and deletion of some laws, Mr. Baig said that this will be done in consultation with the lawyers of the state so that the lacunae, if any can be properly looked into.
Murtaza Khan MLC and A. R. Qureshi also spoke on the occasion and announced funds from their constituency development fund to the Bar Council for purchase of reference books and other allied things. The interaction was also attended by A. H. Naik, Advocate General of the state, B. S. Slathia, President Bar Council of Jammu and scores of the lawyers.
The Deputy Chief Minister also inspected the ongoing works undertaken in the High Court complex Jammu and said that the work will be carried out on priority basis.