Delivery of a baby by a Tribal Woman on a Road in Kishtwar highlighted before the High Court.

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DB expresses displeasure over non-filling of Response by both UTs of J&K and Ladakh.

JAMMU MAR 05:-In the much publicized Public Interest Litigation (PIL No. 16/2018) titled Balwinder Singh V/s UT of J&K & Ors. highlighting inadequate health infrastructure and shortage of Doctors/Paramedics in both the UTs of J&K and Ladakh, when the PIL came up for hearing, Advocate Sheikh Shakeel Ahmed appearing for the PIL at the very outset highlighted before the Division Bench that two days back, a tribal woman delivered a baby on the road in broad day light in Inderwal Constituency falling under District Kishtwar which clearly shows the poor state of affairs with regard to health facilities in far flung areas of both the Union Territories.

A Division Bench of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court (Jammu Wing) comprising the Chief Justice Tashi Rabstan and Hon’ble Mr. Justice MA Chowdhary expressed its deep anguish and displeasure over the non-filling of response by both the UTs pursuant to order dated February 4th, 2025 whereby the Division Bench had granted time to both the UTs to file their response to the suggestions filed by petitioner Balwinder Singh through his Counsel Advocate Sheikh Shakeel Ahmed for improving health care services and infrastructure in both the UTs of J&K and Ladakh.

The Division Bench headed by the Chief Justice Tashi Rabstan was surprised over the non-serious attitude of both the UTs and reluctantly allowed two weeks’ time as last and final opportunity to Senior AAG SS Nanda and DSGI Vishal Sharma to do the needful in terms of order dated February 4, 2025 failing which Administrative Secretaries of Health & Medical Education Department, Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir as well as Union Territory of Ladakh, shall appear in person before the Court on the next date of hearing to submit their explanations.

Advocate SS Ahmed with Advocates Rahul Raina, Supriya Chouhan and M. Zulkarnain Choudhary appearing for the PIL further submitted that since 2012 the posts of Dental Surgeons have not been advertised and on the last date of hearing, the Division Bench had categorically directed both the UTs to disclose as to why the posts of Dental Surgeons are not being advertised and it is unfortunate that there is complete non-serious approach towards the health care and the directions of the Division Bench by both the UTs.

At this stage, the Division Bench comprising of the Chief Justice Tashi Rabstan and Hon’ble Mr. Justice MA Chowdhary in the open court remarked that they may call Chief Secretaries in case the directions passed on February 4, 2025 are not carried out by the Administrative Secretaries.

The Chief Justice Tashi Rabstan in the open Court remarked that recently he visited the Govt. Medical College Jammu and was surprised that a patient from CD Hospital was being shifted through the main road by stature to the GMC and the Chief Justice sought the suggestions from Advocate SS Ahmed for connecting all the hospitals through over-head bridges in order to avoid inconvenience for their shifting from one hospital to another.

Advocate SS Ahmed agreed to file suggestions in this regard and also stated that he would also place on record the video footage of the tribal woman who delivered a baby on the road in a remote village of Kishtwar District falling under Inderwal Legislative Constituency.

Looking into the urgency involved in the matter, the Division Bench directed the Registry to re-notify the instant PIL on March 24th, 2025.