Srinagar: The Jammu & Kashmir High Court has sought reports from the government about lack efficient internet facility and status of prisoners lodged in jails outside the Union Territory.

A division bench of the High Court comprising Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice Rajnesh Oswal has directed government to file report about lack of efficient internet facility in J&K.

“We have not received any report on this issue. Let a status report be filed by the Secretary, Home Department of the UTs of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh before the next date of hearing,” reads the order.

The Court also directed government to file status report residents of J&K and Ladakh UTs lodged in jails in other parts of  a India.

“Let further report with regard to prisoners in Jammu and Kashmir who are lodged in the UT and in other parts of India before the next date of hearing placing on record steps taken after filing of the report dated 8th April 2020 by V. K. Singh, Director General of Police (Prisons). Such report be filed within ten days from today, “the Court directed.

The Court also directed divisional commissioners of Kashmir and Jammu to submit report with regard to the conditions of the persons who got stranded in J&K due to lockdown.

“Our attention is drawn to the fact that there are large number of migrant and contract labourers, visitors to places of religious importance in Jammu and Kashmir and tourist spots in Jammu and Kashmir who, on account of the lockdown, have been stranded in different locations in the Union Territory,” the order reads.

We are informed that these people have been given temporary shelters in mosques etc without any formal plan for their transportation back to their homes or places of their origin, “reads the order.

The Court also directed divisional commissioners to inform it about the locations of such persons and the measures being undertaken for ensuring their needs as well as action plan for them.