Srinagar: The High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh on Wednesday asked the judicial officers not to receive or see off the Chief Justice and other judges during court hours in keeping with the Supreme Court guidelines.
According to a circular issued by Chief Justice, Pankaj Mithal, the judicial officers have been also asked not to arrange any private trip or provide any gift or hospitality to the Chief Justice or the Judges in accordance with the guidelines laid down by the SC vide circular no 1 dated 30.05.2010.
“No Judicial Officer shall receive, see-off or visit the visiting the Chief Justice/ Judge during Court hours,” the circular said, citing the Model Code of Conduct as approved by the Chief Justice of India.
While the SC guidelines indicate that a senior non Judicial Administrative Officer will receive and see-off the Chief Justice/Judges during official visits and provide protocol services to them as per norms, these say if the visiting Chief Justice or Judge wants to hold a meeting or address the Judicial Officers, it will be done either before or after Court hours.
The guidelines underline that “If the visiting Chief Justice/ Judge wants to call a Judicial Officer for official purposes, he will be called either before or after the Court hours”.
The guidelines divulge that no Judicial Officer will visit the visiting Chief Justice/ Judge unless called for official purposes and no arrangements or any private visit of the Chief Justice/ Judges shall be made by any Judicial Officer. According the SC guidelines If arrangements in connection with an official visit of the Chief Justice/ Judges is required to be made by the District Judge or the Chief Judicial Magistrate, all the bills shall be raised in the name of and the payment shall be made directly by the the High Court to the extent permitted and no personal funds will be used by any Judicial Officer for this purpose.
While the guidelines underscore that no Judicial Officer shall arrange any private trip including any excursion trip or visit to a religious place for the visiting Chief Justice or Judges, these say no such Officer will arrange hotel, food or transport for the visiting the Chief Justice/Judge, their staff members and security personnel.
“No Judicial Officer or Court Servant will offer or provide any gift or hospitality to the Chief Justice and Judges” The guidelines indicate that no function will be organized by the Judicial Officer(s) during the visit of the Chief Justice or Judges except official functions organized in written direction and at the cost of the Government.