B.R. Manhas vs Union of India

N. Paul Vasanthakumar, C.J.—This writ petition is filed praying for issuance of writ of mandamus directing respondent Nos. 1 and 2 to provide

the facility of Passenger Reservation System (PRS) within the complexes of High Court of Jammu and Kashmir as has been done in other Court

complexes, namely:-

Supreme Court of India at New Delhi

Delhi High Court, New Delhi

Tis Hazari Court, District Court Delhi

High Court of Patna

High Court of Allahabad

High Court of Uttaranchal at Nainital

Punjab & Haryana High Court at Chandigarh

Rajasthan High Court at Jaipur

Andhra Pradesh High Court at Hyderabad

Jharkhand High Court Ranchi

Kerala High Court Ernakulam

Madras High Court

Madurai Bench of Madras High Court and

Chhattisgarh State New High Court Complex, Bodri.

Mrs. Sindhu Sharma, learned ASGI on asking of the Court takes notice on behalf of respondents 1 and 2. Since the relief sought for is relating

to respondents 1 and 2 alone, notices are not necessary to the other respondents.

The case of the petitioner is that he is a practicing advocate focusing the public cause by filing various Public Interest Litigation's. Pursuant to the

decision taken by the Railway Board and Ministry of Railway, Government of India, which was conveyed vide its letter dated 02.02.2006 for

Passenger Reservation Service (PRS) at location apart from the Railway Stations. Based on the said Policy, Passenger Reservation Service (PRS)

was started within the complexes of several Courts of the Country, such as Hon'ble the Supreme Court of India at New Delhi; Delhi High Court,

New Delhi, Tis Hazari Court, Delhi, High Court of Patna, High Court of Allahabad, Punjab & Haryana High Court at Chandigarh, Rajasthan High

Court at Jaipur, Andhra Pradesh High Court at Hyderabad; Madras High Court at Chennai.

The said Policy was revised bearing Policy dated 04.10.2013, based on which the Passenger Reservation Service (PRS) was started in the

complexes of the Jharkhand High Court, Ranchi, Madurai Bench of Madras High Court and Chhattisgarh State, New High Court Complex Bodri.

According to the petitioner, more than 10,000 people are visiting in the Court complex Janipur, Jammu and around 2,000 in the Court complex

Srinagar for which separate reservation counters are required for the welfare of the Advocates, Staff of the High Court, Subordinate Courts as

well as the litigants who are visiting in the Courts.

It is contention of the petitioner that the Jammu Railway Station is having so much rush due to pilgrimage to Vaishno Devi Shrine at Katra and

Advocates, Court Staff have to stand in the long queues for hours together for getting train tickets. Hence there is necessary to have railway

reservation counters in the Court premises at Janipur.

The petitioner has presented representation before filing this writ petition on 15.12.2015 pointing out all the facts before the 2nd respondent and

the said representation is pending.

Since, the representation is pending and the respondents 1 and authority to consider the said request based on the Policy which has already

been implemented insofar as, 14 Courts are concerned, respondents 1 and 2 are directed to consider the request of the petitioner seeking separate

reservation counters in the High Court Premises at Jammu and Srinagar bearing in mind the Policy which is in vogue and take a decision within a

period of 12 weeks.

The writ petition is disposed of in the above terms. No costs.