Saturday, 11 MAY 2024 | PNS | NAINITAL
In an important decision, the Uttarakhand High Court Uttarakhand has stated that the High Court from Nainital to a new location is needed considering pressing environmental concerns and the need to enhance access to justice for litigants and lawyers across the State. The High Court has directed the chief secretary to inform the court within a month about a suitable location for the HC. It also directed the HC registrar general to open an online portal on which the advocates and the general public can state their view on the shifting of the court from Nainital. The division bench of chief justice Ritu Bahri and justice Rakesh Thapliyal issued this order. The court stated that the land in Gaulapar which was marked for relocating the HC comprises 75 per cent forest land and is densely forested. Establishing the HC there after cutting a large number of trees is not proper and the court does not favour this, the court observed.
The court stated that considering the problems faced by petitioners and young advocates in Nainital, lack of medical treatment facilities and connectivity issues and the expenditure on travelling and daily allowances of officers and employees as the State government is a party in more than 75 per cent of the cases, it is necessary that the HC should be relocated from Nainital.
Earlier during the hearing of a matter related to IDPL, Rishikesh on May 8, chief secretary Radha Raturi and principal secretary RK Sudhanshu were also present. The matter of the HC relocation from Nainital was brought up on that day and later in the afternoon the views of the High Court bar association and advocates were also heard. The HC has formulated a process to expedite redressal of the issue of relocating the court from Nainital. It has directed the chief secretary to identify land for setting up the HC, residential quarters for the judges, judicial officials, employees, court room, conference hall, chambers for at least 7,000 advocates, canteen and parking. The location should also have access to good medical facilities and connectivity. This task has to be completed within a month and the chief secretary is to submit her report in the court by June 7.
