New HC complex to be handed over by Apr 30, govt tells HC

Ranchi: The government on Friday informed the Jharkhand high court the new HC campus at Jagannathpur will be ready next month and handed over by April 30. The government assured the high court that all work will be completed within the deadline for the court to shift to the new premises.
A division bench of Chief Justice Sanjaya Kumar Mishra and Justice Ananda Sen was hearing a PIL filed by the Advocates Association of the Jharkhand High Court in connection with the new campus and for allotting chambers to the lawyers and more facilities on the new high court campus.
Making an oral observation, the bench said the new campus will have more facilities and space for the advocates than the existing high court premises. The advocates’ association president, Ritu Kumar, said once the high court shifts, long terms plans have to be made as their members have grown, resulting in higher demand for space, including for new entrants into the profession. The new campus is spread over 168 acres of land but the advocates have not been given proper space, Kumar argued.
Association’s general secretary Navin Kumar said a meeting of all stakeholders, including the high court building committee, the state government and members of the association, is due soon. He said the association only wants adequate space for its members which is not enough at present.
“Currently, the lawyers have to sit in the passages as they were deprived of chambers though there is enough space to accommodate all. The halls in the basement of the building meant for the lawyers have seepage and water-logging issues,” Navin rued.
Stating there is ample space on the new HC campus, Navin said, “Our demands are for the welfare of the legal fraternity. If lawyers are not given a decent place to sit in the new building, how will they be able to work and discharge their legal duties?”