WELCOME ADDRESS DELIVERED BY

HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE S.K. AGARWAL, MEMBER,

JUDICIAL OFFICERS TRAINING PROGRAMME COMMITTEE

ON 25.7.2003 AT VALEDICTORY FUNCTION OF NEWLY

APPOINTED OFFICERS OF DELHI JUDICIAL SERVICE

Hon'ble Mr. Justice S.B. Sinha, Judge, Supreme Court of India, Hon'ble Mr. Justice B.C.Patel, Chief Justice, High Court of Delhi, Hon'ble Judges of High Court of Delhi, District & Sessions Judge, Faculty Members of Delhi Judicial Academy, Newly Appointed Officers, Distinguished Guests, Ladies & Gentlemen.

It is a matter of privilege for me to deliver the welcome address to this august gathering. Let me first extend my thanks to Hon'ble Mr. Justice S. B. Sinha, who despite his busy schedule has kindly agreed to deliver valedictory address. I also extend my thanks to Hon'ble Chief Justice, High Court of Delhi and other brother Judges of High Court of Delhi and Guests, who have spared their valuable time and have come here to grace the occasion.

Delhi Judicial Academy was inaugurated on 22^ndFebruary, 2002 under the aegis of Hon'ble Mr. Justice S. B. Sinha, while he was Chief Justice, High Court of Delhi.  It is due to his untiring efforts that Delhi Judicial Academy was established in Karkardooma Courts Complex. Earlier training programmes to newly recruited Judicial Officers used to be conducted at low key. They used to be asked to sit on dais along with some senior judicial officers and to observe judicial proceedings. There was no infrastructure for imparting any training.

The Academy at Karkardooma Courts is a make shift arrangement and a full-fledged academy is proposed to be set up in Dwarika, with all modern facilities and necessary infrastructure. A plot of land measuring about 12 acres has already been allotted. Steps are being taken for taking possession of the plot at the earliest. I may mention here that only a couple of days ago, I reminded Hon'ble Mr. Justice D.K. Jain, about the foresighted advice, by Hon'ble Mr. Justice S.B. Sinha to have a National Law School adjoining the Academy proposed to be built at Dwarika, so that the academic facilities of the Law school can be utilised by the Delhi Judicial Academy and vice-versa. It would be immensely beneficial for the Academy as well as for the Law School. I hope this comes through.

Delhi Judicial Academy, since its establishment has already completed one foundation Course (2002) for 14 newly appointed officers of Delhi Judicial Service, and the Delhi Higher Judicial Service (Direct Recruit) 2002. It has conducted seminars, workshops in association "with Law Colleges and NGOs. It has conducted various training programmes for in service Judges as well. The academy has already published four issues of its Journal, wherein Hon'ble Judges of Supreme Court, High Court, retired Judges of High Court and Judicial Officers from District Judiciary have contributed the articles.

The Second Foundation course, for newly appointed 65 officers of Delhi Judicial Service (there are two Officers of Delhi Higher Judicial Service as well) was inaugurated on 4th March, 2003, by Hon'ble Mr. Justice Devinder Gupta, then Acting Chief Justice, High Court of Delhi. This course was designed for three months with the objective to prepare trainee officers academically, temperamentally, morally and also to develop the qualities of court culture, and judicial discipline etc. in them so as to enable them to decide the cases expeditiously in accordance with law.

'The training programme was divided into three parts (i) institutional training in the Academy (five weeks), (ii) practical training in civil as well as in criminal courts (six weeks), and (iii) field training (one week). The training was imparted into two phases.

During five weeks Institutional training officers were given lectures on procedural as well as substantive law. They were taught about important provisions of the Code of Civil Procedure, Code of Criminal Procedure, Indian Evidence Act, High Court Rules and Orders and various special Acts and Local Acts. About 100 lectures were delivered to the trainee officers by Hon'ble Judges of High Court, Judges of District Judiciary and other experts in the field of law and allied matters. Institutional training programme was planned and designed in such a manner so that the trainee officers are equipped with important provisions of law likely to be dealt with by them in day-to-day discharge of the judicial functions.

And during the practical training for six weeks, the trainee officers were required to work under senior magistrates and civil judges to observe and learn day-to-day functioning and proceedings adopted in the courts. In criminal courts, they learnt about grant of remand, bail, taking cognizance on the charge-sheet, disposal of case property, framing of charge, recording of the statement of accused, passing of miscellaneous or final orders and in civil cases scrutiny of plaint, service of summons, admissions, production of documents, framing of issues, recording of evidence and passing of miscellaneous or final orders etc. They were asked to prepare draft issues/charges, questions for recording of statement of accused, miscellaneous/final orders, for perusal and guidance by the trainer officer.

One week field training was also given to them which included visit to Central Forensic Science Laboratory. Police Stations, Central Jail (Tihar), Govt. Hospitals, Mortuary and Revenue Departments, Record-Rooms, Copying agencies and Nazarat branches in the group of 20 each.

The trainee officers were also given computer training for total 24 hours spread over a period of eight days, in groups, in the computer room of the Academy and demonstration of "Grand Jurix" and "Manuparta" were also organised for them.

An expert was called from Moraji Desai Yoga Institute to give basic knowledge of yoga to the trainee officers. Academy also organised one lecture on "Art of Living" for the trainee officers.

The academy also imparted training to three Executive Magistrates for a period of two weeks w.e.f. 5^thMay, 2003 so that they can learn Judicial procedure and the behaviour in the courts in terms of the orders passed by the Division Bench presided over by Hon'ble Mr. Justice Dalveer Bhandari.  On 2nd June. 2003, one day workshop was organized for sensitization of the magistrates, appointed to try offences under Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 and other petty offences punishable under different Acts. Twenty one Special Metropolitan Magistrates, posted in different courts, attended said workshop.  Hon'ble Mr. Justice Madan B. Lokur, Director and the Joint Director of the Academy addressed them. I am happy to inform that the arrears of traffic challan have fallen and a report in this regard has been submitted. The academy also organised one lecture delivered by Joint Director for newly appointed Municipal Magistrates on 13th June, 2003 to appraised them relevant provisions of Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, 1957 and New Delhi Municipal Council Act, 1994 and Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973.

Before leaving I must extend my thanks to the sitting Hon'ble Judges of the High Court as well as the retired Judges of the High Court, Officers of District Judiciary and other Speakers from different fields, who delivered lectures to the trainee officers and shared their valuable thoughts and experiences with them. I also extend my thanks to Sh. V. B. Gupta. Director and Dr. Sudhir Kumar Jain, Joint Director of Delhi Judicial Academy and other Officers, who by their untiring efforts made this training programme a success.

Lastly. I must extend my heartiest congratulations to the newly appointed officers of Delhi Judicial Officer as well as the member of Delhi Higher Judicial Service who have completed their training. I pray for them a big success in life and a bright judicial career ahead.