Justice Kalifulla takes oath

Justice Fakir Muhammad Ibrahim Kalifulla was today sworn in as a Supreme Court judge, raising the strength of the apex court to 26.

Chief Justice of India S H Kapadia administered the oath of office to Justice Kalifulla, the former chief justice of Jammu and Kashmir High Court.

Justice Kalifulla had taken charge as the Jammu and Kashmir High Court Chief Justice on September 18, last year. He had joined the judiciary on March 2, 2000 when he was made a permanent judge of the Madras High Court.

He was subsequently transferred to High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and assumed charge of office on February 24, last year and, thereafter, was appointed as the Acting Chief Justice of the same court on April 7, 2011.

Born on July 23, 1951, Justice Kalifulla, who hails from Karaikudi, Sivagangai District in Tamil Nadu, was enrolled as an advocate on August 20, 1975 and was an active labour law practitioner and also appeared for various public and private sector undertakings, nationalised and scheduled banks.

He was later the standing counsel for the Tamil Nadu State Electricity Board. 

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Jammu lawyers extend strike till Dec 7

Bar Association Jammu (BAJ) today extended its ongoing strike till December 7, 2011.A general house meeting of BAJ was held under the chairmanship of its President Advocate BS Slathia to discuss the ongoing strike by lawyers in protest against the move of the government in taking away the powers of the registration of documents from Judicial Officers to Ex

ecutive Officers (Revenue). BAJ decided to continue their on going strike till December 7, 2011.

A delegation of the BAJ had met the Chief Justice, J&K High Court, day before yesterday and put forth their grievances against the diversion of quota of lawyers in direct recruitment to the posts of District & Sessions Judges, fixing of higher cut-off of 60 percent marks and the time-duration for written-examinations. Chief Justice had proposed the Bar members to suspend their strike to facilitate the consideration of the lawyers’ grievances. The proposition from the Chief Justice was discussed in the general house meeting today.

The general house appreciated the intervention of the Chief Justice as Head of the Institution.  As per the assurance of the Chief Justice, the members of  Bar Association unanimously decided to suspend the strike so far as their grievances with respect to the Recruitment Rules for J&K Higher Judicial Services (Direct Recruitment of Sessions Judges) is concerned and complimented the  Chief Justice for postponing the examinations for selection to J&K Higher Judicial services.

However, the Bar has decided to continue its strike on the other pending issues and a delegation of senior members and representatives of Young Lawyers led by BS Slathia, President BAJ also met the Minister for Rural Development, Law & Parliamentary Affairs Ali Mohammad Sagar, Minister for Revenue, Relief & Rehabilitation Raman Bhalla, Minister for Education Peerzada Mohammad Syed and Minister for PHE, Flood Control Taj  Mohi-ud-Din in this regard.

The Bar delegation apprised the ministers about the difficulties the general public will be put to in case the registration powers are shifted from the Judicial Officers besides opening the flood gates for corruption and facilitating the already active land mafia.

The Bar Association Jammu urged the Chief Minister to immediately intervene and sort out the issue, keeping in view the aspirations of legal fraternity across the state and interests of general public at large.The general house of BAJ decided to continue with the protest and abstain from work in all courts till December 7, 2011. The general house of BAJ has decided to meet again on December 7 to decide the future course of action.