Jammu lawyers on indefinite strike threaten to intensify agitation

The lawyers in Jammu region, who are on an indefinite strike for the last 21 days against the administration's decision to divest the courts of powers to register various documents and vest the same with the revenue department, have threatened to intensify their agitation.

Jammu chapter of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court Bar Association (JKHCBA), which is spearheading the agitation, on Thursday urged Lieutenant Governor G C Murmu to take back the decision or "it shall be constrained to intensify the agitation".

"The bar has decided to convene a meeting with heads of various organizations and members of the civil society on November 25 to seek their support for the ongoing agitation," the JKHCBA, Jammu, said in a statement here.

The judicial work in the High Court and its subordinate courts in most parts of Jammu region has been badly hit since the lawyers went on the strike on November 1.

The State Administrative Council (SAC) headed by the then Governor Satya Pal Malik on October 23 accorded sanction to the creation of a new department, which will function under the overall administrative control of revenue department, to provide hassle-free and speedy service to the citizens for registration of documents pertaining to immovable property like sale, gift, mortgage and lease.

Defending the decision, the revenue department had said the new system will make the process similar to the rest of the country and the separate department for registration shall substantially reduce the waiting time for the public in getting various types of deeds or documents registered.

"Unlike past, the applicant would not be required to pay any court fee in addition to the stamp duty payable while registration of a deed for the transfer of immovable property," the revenue department had said.