PILs highlighting road accidents: DB allows Amicus Curiae, Ex-Bar President Doda & social activist to visit accident prone sites
25/04/2025
JAMMU, Apr 24: A Division Bench of the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh at Jammu comprising the Chief Justice Arun Palli and Justice Rajnesh Oswal has allowed the Amicus Curiae-Advocate Sheikh Shakeel Ahmed to personally visit the relevant sites on the National Highway-44 and the Mughal Road alongwith the then President, District Bar Association, Doda Advocate Syed Asim Hashmi and Social Activist Asif Iqbal Butt and to submit a comprehensive Status Report indicating if any measures are still required to be taken on the recommendations submitted by 04-Members Expert Committee constituted by the Division Bench on December 7th, 2023.
These significant directions were passed by the Division Bench in a batch of three Public Interest Litigations highlighting frequent and repeated road accidents occurring in the Ramban, Batote, Doda, Kishtwar roads i.e. National Highway-44 and also Mughal Road. The Division Bench considering the sensitivity of the matter and issues requiring determination had constituted a Committee of Experts to inspect the National Highway-44 and Mughal Road to make suitable recommendations/suggestions and the said committee submitted its report through Nodal Officer i.e. the Divisional Commissioner, Jammu on March 14, 2024.
When these PILs came up for hearing before the Division Bench headed by Chief Justice Arun Palli, Amicus Curiae-Advocate Sheikh Shakeel Ahmed with Advocates Rahul Raina, Supriya Chouhan, M. Zulkarnain Chowdhary and Advocate Navneet Dubey appearing for the petitioners whereas Senior AAG SS Nanda appearing for UT of J&K and DSGI Vishal Sharma appearing for National Highways Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) submitted that although the recommendations made by the Expert Body have substantially been implemented but in the given circumstances a site visit or spot inspection would be imperative to conclusively address the remaining issues, if any.
At this stage, Advocate Sheikh Shakeel Ahmed Amicus Curiae submitted that he would personally visit the relevant sites and furnish a comprehensive Status Report indicating, if any, measures are still required to be taken. The Amicus Curiae further submitted that Advocate Syed Asim Hashmi, the then President, District Bar Association, Doda has rendered valuable assistance to the Hon'ble Court and he be also associated with Amicus Curiae for spot inspections and the Division Bench conceded to the request made by the Amicus Curiae.
Amicus Curiae-Advocate S. S. Ahmed further apprised the Division Bench that a letter written by Social Activist Asif Iqbal Butt was converted as a PIL by this Hon'ble Court by taking suo motto cognizance and in the letter the said Social Activist expressed his deep concerns/grievances over the matter in issue and further submitted that the whistle blower Asif Iqbal Butt has been diligently pursuing the matter all through and is truly a public spirited person, he too be associated with Amicus Curiae to visit the subject sites/areas and the Division Bench agreed to associate the Social Activist Asif Iqbal Butt with the Amicus Curiae.
The Division Bench headed by Chief Justice Arun Palli after considering the submissions of Amicus Curiae directed the filing of a comprehensive Status Report before the adjoruned date of hearing with an advance copy to the Counsel for UT Administration and NHIDCL.
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