Supreme Court Pushes for Permanent Tribunal Building in Jammu Kashmir

The Supreme Court inquires if Jammu and Kashmir's Central Administrative Tribunal could temporarily use the old high court building as construction on a new site is pending. Meanwhile, the court emphasizes the need for permanent staff instead of outsourcing, due to operational challenges faced by the tribunal.

The Supreme Court on Monday questioned the Centre regarding the potential for Jammu and Kashmir Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) to temporarily occupy the old high court building. The development comes in light of delays in constructing a new high court building in Jammu, which has already had land allocated for the purpose.

A bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh has tasked Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati to confirm the timeline for completing the new construction. Bhati has suggested seeking further instructions, proposing a temporary move of the CAT to a rented location in the interim.

The bench has directed the Centre to ensure adequate staffing for the CAT once it relocates. Previously, the Supreme Court has advocated for a permanent building and staff to avoid dependency on outsourced personnel, pointing out that the tribunal's operations are currently hindered by a lack of essential support staff. A status report was ordered in August after noting infrastructure deficiencies affecting the CAT, Jammu's smooth operations.

(With inputs from agencies.)