Lahore High Court (LHC) Chief Justice (CJ) Ijaz Ahmed Chaudhry on Tuesday, taking serious notice of electricity misuse in courtrooms, offices and various branches of the LHC, issued a circular to stop misuse of electricity in courts. In the circular, the LHC CJ said that the energy crisis is a big challenge for the nation and it is responsibility of every person, either in individual or official capacity, to come forward and fulfil his responsibility to stop wasteful usage of electricity. The LHC registrar said that the LHC CJ gave strict directions to all court staff, including judges, officers, clerks and naib qasids to switch-off unnecessary lights and air conditioners in court premises.
The circular said that it has been observed that LHC officers and officials did not pay attention to this serious issue and despite the fact that judges are sitting in their retiring rooms/chambers, court staff did not switch off unnecessary lights and air conditioners. The same position is in existence in offices and branches of the LHC. According to the circular, “The moment judges of the courts, after their judicial work in courtrooms, leave for their retiring rooms, it will be responsibility of the staff concerned to switch off all unnecessary lights and air conditioners”. It said, “Every officer/official of branches/offices of this court, whenever leave the branch/office, he/she will personally switch off all unnecessary lights and air conditioners. This will be the duty of every official of branches/offices to switch off unnecessary lights and air conditioners if the branches/offices are found not under use at that particular time”.
“The district and sessions judge (Establishment) and member inspection Team (MIT) of this court will make surprise visits and in case of violation of directions, they will submit a report immediately. The accounts branch will also submit a report from next month that what difference with reference to utility bill etc has occurred after issuance of this circular,” the circular said.
