Srinagar, Aug 11 : Justice Gita Mittal was sworn in as the Chief Justice of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court on Saturday. Before being sworn in as the Chief Justice, the court's Registrar General read out the warrant of Mittal's appointment.

She was then administered the oath of office by Governor N.N. Vohra at a ceremony at Raj Bhavan here. Mittal is the first female Chief Justice of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court.

Former Chief Ministers Farooq and Omar Abdullah, Governor's advisors, serving and former judges, Chief Secretary B.V.R. Subrahmayan, Director General of Police S.P. Vaid were among those who attended the oath-taking ceremony.

Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.



Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 15 (PTI): The Kerala government has decided to declare as ‘deceased’ the people who went missing in the devastating landslide in Wayanad last year which will help provide compensation to their families.

The decision comes as a huge relief to the kin of people who were reported missing in the disaster.

As per a government order issued on Tuesday, local, district and state level committees will be formed including revenue department officials to examine the list of missing people.

The local level committee includes the panchayat secretary, village officer and station house officer of respective police stations. The committee will prepare a list of missing people and submit it to the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) for scrutiny.

The DDMA will examine the list and forward it to the state-level committee with its suggestions. The state level committee, comprising additional chief secretary (home) and principal secretaries of revenue and local self-government, will examine the list and forward it to the government, the order said.

The government will subsequently issue an order declaring them as dead and providing ex-gratia to their close relatives.

According to official record, 263 people were dead and 35 people were reported missing in the landslides that occurred on July 30 last year. The order directs the local level committee to closely examine the FIRs filed in connection with the missing people in the respective police stations.

The tahsildar or sub-divisional magistrate should conduct a detailed enquiry about the missing person and the findings will be published on the official website and government gazette.

A 30-day period will be given for filing any objections, after which the list of missing people will be published and death certificates issued to their immediate relatives, the order said.