Srinagar, Oct 5, KDC: The Jammu & Kashmir High Court Bar Association Srinagar Kashmir (Regd.) on Monday organised a felicitation programme in honour of Chief Justice Dr Pushpendra Singh Bhatti at the Common Bar Room of the Srinagar Wing of the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.
Justice Wasim Sadiq Nargal, Justice Rajesh Sekhri, Justice Mohammad Yousuf Wani, Justice Sanjay Parihar and newly appointed High Court Judge Justice Yashpal Bourney were present on the occasion. Mir Syed Lateef, Judicial Member and HoD, Central Administrative Tribunal, Srinagar, also attended the programme. The judges present, along with Justice Bourney, were felicitated by the Bar Association.
Waseem Gul, President of the Jammu & Kashmir High Court Bar Association Srinagar Kashmir (Regd.), delivered the welcome address, while Advocate Bikram Deep Singh conducted the proceedings.
A large number of advocates attended the function, including senior advocates Zaffar Ahmad Shah, G.A. Lone, R.A. Jan, Mohsin Ul Showkat Qadri, Syed Faisal Qadri, Tahir Majid Shamsi, Anupam Raina, Jehangir Ganie, Syed Manzoor, Anil Bhan, Bashir Ahmad Bashir, Showkat Makroo, Abdul Majid Dar, Arifa Jan and Masooda Jan, besides Mohammad Ayoub Bhat, Onkar Singh, Mir Suhail, Arif Sikandar Mir, Sharik J Riyaz and other lawyers and law officers of the Union Territory.
Responding to the felicitation, Chief Justice Dr Pushpendra Singh Bhatti expressed appreciation for the warmth and participation of the Bar. Recalling his 24-25 years as a lawyer, he said his association with the legal fraternity remained close to his heart.
He paid tribute to senior members of the Bar and said their experience, commitment and sense of duty towards the institution were reflected in their interaction with him.
The Chief Justice said he now recognised nearly 90 per cent of the faces present at the function, noting that such familiarity would not have been possible during the initial days of his tenure. He described serving the people of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh as a source of professional satisfaction and sought the cooperation of the Bar in safeguarding constitutional rights within the framework of law.
Highlighting the nearly century-old legal tradition of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, Justice Bhatti said the High Court has commanded respect across the country, with judgments delivered during the 1960s and 1970s continuing to serve as benchmarks of judicial excellence.
He also praised the preparation and commitment of lawyers across generations, including senior advocates, young lawyers and women advocates, and acknowledged the assistance extended by the Bar in familiarising him with local laws.
The Chief Justice said a strong Bar was essential for delivering good judgments and expressed confidence that cooperation between the Bench and the Bar would contribute to research-driven, accurate and welfare-oriented decisions in the larger interest of the common man.
Recalling his longstanding image of Kashmir as “Jannat”, he spoke about his visits to Dal Lake, Hazratbal and the Shankaracharya temple and said the region’s natural beauty had been reinforced by his experiences here.
He also emphasised the shared responsibility of lawyers and judges towards citizens, describing lawyers as those who provide peace of mind to litigants and help address complex problems in society.
Justice Bhatti made special mention of women lawyers, noting that nearly 50 per cent of recent recruitments in the High Court had been women. He encouraged greater representation of women advocates in the executive bodies of the Bar.
On technology, the Chief Justice described it as an essential enabler for the legal system and cautioned that lawyers and judges below the age of 50 who fail to develop technological proficiency could risk being left behind.
He urged young advocates to acquire greater command over technology and use it to convert information into knowledge and knowledge into wisdom. He also appreciated the seamless virtual functioning between the Jammu and Srinagar wings and the growing role of the Ladakh Bar.
Welcoming Justice Yashpal Bourney as a newly elevated Judge of the High Court, the Chief Justice invited members of the Bar, irrespective of seniority, to approach him with constructive suggestions for institutional improvement.
He said he would uphold the traditions, culture and legacy of the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh and work collectively with the Bar to further strengthen the institution.
The Bar Association said the programme was the first felicitation function of its kind organised in honour of the Chief Justice. The Common Bar Room witnessed a large gathering of advocates, reflecting the enthusiasm of the legal fraternity and its expectations from the Chief Justice and the institution.
