J&K Chief Justice BD Ahmed uses video conferencing to hear cases

In a first, a Jammu Bench of the Jammu & Kashmir High Court last week heard eleven cases listed before the Srinagar Wing of the High Court through video-conferencing, reports Greater Kashmir..The cases were heard by Chief Justice Badar Durrez Ahmed who is currently sitting at Jammu..From May to end October, the Chief Justice and the Administrative Wing of High Court shifts to Srinagar and from November to end April, the Head Quarters is at Jammu. However, Court sections of both the Jammu and Srinagar Wings of the High Court function throughout the year..Chief Justice BD Ahmed lauded the video conferencing facility and remarked that the use of video conferencing for court hearings will help in the speedy dispensation of justice and will also help lawyers pursue their cases by avoiding unnecessary movement..Justice Ahmed also said that the technology will enable judges to hear cases listed before them in the Srinagar Wing even if they are sitting at Jammu wing..Justice Ahmed took charge of the office of the Chief Justice of Jammu and Kashmir High Court on April 1, 2017, prior to which he was a Judge in the Delhi High Court..Justice Ahmed has always complimented the use of technology in the field of law. As a judge of the Delhi High Court, he had served as the Chairman of the Computer Committee wherein he facilitated the establishment of E-filing counters, E-Cause list, E-Court Fee, SMS/E-mail alert facility, introduction of ‘Case History’ link on the official website of Delhi High Court, recording of evidence through video conferencing; digitization and weeding of records, and E-Post..In the case of International Planned Parenthood Federation vs. Madhubala Nath, Justice Ahmed while allowing the appellant to record the testimony and cross-examination of its witness through audio-video conferencing had observed that courts must be liberal and pragmatic in allowing the witnesses to depose through video conferencing..Justice Ahmed knows several computer programming languages and has also written two stand-alone accounting software packages for lawyers.