SC asked for details of the construction of the new High Court complex in Jammu, said- not even an inch of work had been done 

The Supreme Court on Monday wanted to know from the Central Government what progress has been made towards the construction of the new High Court complex in Jammu. On June 28, Chief Justice DY Chandrachud laid the foundation stone of the new complex of the High Court in Jammu. A bench of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Sudhanshu Dhulia passed the order while hearing a petition highlighting vacancies in the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) benches in Jammu and Srinagar and the cases pending there.

Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Aishwarya Bhati, appearing for the Centre, placed an updated note before the bench, indicating the position about vacancies and pending cases in the CAT benches in both cities. On the issue of infrastructure for the tribunal, Bhati said the lawyer representing the state may have some instructions. The state counsel said that as far as Srinagar is concerned, some progress has been made but identification of land in Jammu is an issue.

Bhati told the bench that I am instructed that there is now an agreement that once the existing High Court building is vacated, the Tribunal, Jammu bench will be shifted there. Justice Kaul told Bhati that the construction of the proposed building has also started. Has not happened. He said that nothing is being built. The work has not even started.

The only thing that has happened is that we all joined there for the foundation stone laying ceremony. That's all that happened there. Nothing else happened. There is not even an inch of movement there. He said that it seemed there was a problem with funds. On this, Bhati requested the bench to allow him to present an affidavit on this issue.