The Government of Jammu and Kashmir, Department of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, has announced the appointment of new Law Officers in the Srinagar wing of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. The decision comes with Government Order No. 5536-JK(LD) of 2023, issued on May 17, 2023.
Under the newly sanctioned order, the following Advocates have been appointed as Law Officers:
- Syed Musaib – Deputy Advocate General
- Zahid Hussain Dar – Government Advocate
These appointments come with specific designations as shown above, and the retainership of the Government Advocate will be drawn against the available post of Deputy Advocate General.
The appointments will be governed by the terms and conditions mentioned in various Government Orders, including Government Order No. 1906-LD(A)) of 2015, Government Order No. 2327-LD(A) of 2017, Government Order No. 2328-LD(A) of 2017, and Government Order No. 3378-LD(A) of 2019. Additionally, the appointments are subject to the eligibility criteria outlined in Notification SRO 98 of 2016 dated March 24, 2016, and will be subject to orders passed in WP(C) PIL No 6 of 2021, titled Sushi! Chandel Vs Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and others.
It is important to note that the Law Officers will be required to submit case-related information on a daily basis through the Director Litigation Kashmir, as per Administrative Council Decision No. 35/4/2021 dated March 10, 2021, and Government Order No. 1678-JK(LD) of 2021 dated March 24, 2021. This information will be submitted on a devised proforma GC-I and GC-II. Furthermore, the Law Officers will be responsible for providing a weekly/Department wise advance list of cases on each Friday or Saturday using the devised proforma GC-III.
The Lieutenant Governor’s Order, No: Law-Jud/147/2022-10, directs the distribution of copies to several concerned parties, including the Learned Advocate General, Jammu and Kashmir, the Principal Secretary to the Hon’ble Lieutenant Governor, the Joint Secretary (J&K) at the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Commissioner Secretary to Government, General Administration Department, the Registrar General of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, and other relevant individuals and offices.
The Director Finance, Department of Law, Justice & P.A., the Director Litigation Kashmir, and all concerned Law Officers have also been notified about the appointments. The Administrative Officer of the Office of the Learned Advocate General, J&K, has been requested to allow the appointed Advocates to join only after the production of the necessary documents relating to eligibility prescribed in notification SRO 98 of 2016 dated March 24, 2016.
For further information, the Incharge website of the Department of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs is advised to update the relevant content. The Government Order File has also been copied on the matter.
This appointment marks a significant step in the judicial system of Jammu and Kashmir, aiming to strengthen the legal framework and ensure effective representation in the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
Additional Secretary to Government, Ashish Gupta, and Secretary to Government, Achal Sethi, have signed the official communication, dated May 17, 2023.
