Jammu Tawi, July 18: J&K High Court Bar Association, Jammu has notified that work shall remain suspended on 19.07.2023 (Wednesday) in the JKL High Court and all subordinate courts/Tribunals etc. so as to express strong resentment against issuance of order no. 805 of 2023/RG dated 18.07.2023, whereby the authorization (to charge a fee on issuance of Vakalatnama) given by High Court order no. 154 dated 16.05.2009 has been rescinded, without consultation of/prior intimation to the Bar Association.
This move has come in the backdrop of the Jammu and Kashmir Advocates' Welfare Fund Trustee Committee (JKAWFTC) meeting (constituted by Govt of UT of J&K vide Notification SO 466 dated 3rd October 2022) held on 13.10.22. It was unanimously resolved in the said meeting to make a request to the Hon'ble High Court to rescind High Court order No. 154 dated 16.05.2009 whereby authorization was given to Bar Associations pan Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh to issue Vakalatnamas and charge a certain sum of money stating the same was not in conformity with the Act/ Rules. The Committee had further resolved to make a request to the High Court for depositing of such amounts in the Advocates' Welfare Fund.
The matter came up for deliberations before the Full Court in its meeting held as latest on 17.06.2023 and after threadbare deliberations, the Full Court accepted the aforesaid request of the Jammu and Kashmir Advocates' Welfare Fund Trust Committee thereby rescinding the authorization given to the Bar Associations to issue Vakalatnamas and charge a certain sum of money with immediate effect.
A reliable source has confided that this action has been taken by the JKAWFTC to nip the alleged practice of misuse and diversion of funds obtained by such means against national interest in Kashmir Valley.
