Ladakh gets its own high court bench in Leh, hearings to begin on October 21

Justice is set to become more accessible to the people of the Union Territory of Ladakh as Chief Justice of India (CJI) Justice Surya Kant inaugurated the newly established Ladakh Bench of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh in Leh on Sunday.

Supreme Court Justices M.M. Sundresh and P.S. Narasimha, along with Chief Justice Pushpendra Singh Bhati and other judges of the High Court, were also present on the occasion.
The Attorney General for India R. Venkatramani, and the Ladakh Lieutenant Governor, Vinai Kumar Saxena, also attended the event.

The Ladakh Bench will function as part of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, which exercises jurisdiction over both Union Territories.

Welcoming the inauguration, Lieutenant Governor Saxena described it as the beginning of “a new era of accessible justice” in Ladakh. He expressed his gratitude to the Chief Justice of India for inaugurating the bench.

“A new era of accessible justice begins in Ladakh! Deeply grateful to Chief Justice of India, Mr. Justice Surya Kant ji, for inaugurating the Ladakh Bench of the High Court of J&K and Ladakh today at Leh, in the gracious presence of Supreme Court Judges and the Chief Justice and other companion Judges of the High Court of J&K and Ladakh,” Saxena posted on his social media handle.
“This historic milestone, besides fulfilling a long-standing demand of the people, also brings justice directly to the doorsteps of our people, eliminating distant travel and financial burden and robustly strengthening the judicial system in Ladakh,” he said.

“The Ladakh Bench of the High Court and CJI’s successive visits to Ladakh within a short span of six months reflect his steadfast commitment for ensuring easier and faster ‘access to justice’ to all citizens, particularly to the remote communities in Ladakh,” Saxena said.

He also expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah for their guidance and support, saying, “My sincere thanks and gratitude to the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, and Home Minister, Amit Shah, for consistently guiding Ladakh on the path of prosperity and inclusive development. My heartiest congratulations to every citizen of Ladakh!”
Ladakh was carved out as a separate Union Territory in 2019 following the reorganisation of the erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir.

The establishment of a bench in Ladakh is aimed at bringing High Court services closer to litigants in the region, where difficult terrain and long distances have often made access to judicial institutions challenging.

75 cases listed, hearings to begin on October 21

According to the High Court administration, hearings at the Ladakh Bench will begin on October 21, with 75 cases identified for consideration.

On the first day, a division bench comprising Chief Justice Pushpendra Singh Bhati and Justice Sanjay Parihar will hear five cases. Subsequently, Justice Parihar will hear cases in a single-judge bench on Thursdays and Fridays.

The Central Government approved the establishment of the bench in August, while the High Court declared Leh as its seat on October 5.

Ladakh Chief Secretary Ashish Kundra described the move as the biggest initiative in the history of the judiciary in the past 40 years.

He said the establishment of the bench would spare the people of Ladakh the long and arduous journey to Srinagar or Jammu to pursue legal matters, including writ petitions.

Following the reorganisation of Jammu and Kashmir in 2019, Ladakh became a separate Union Territory. Until now, however, the High Court had its two principal seats in Jammu and Srinagar. With the establishment of the Ladakh Bench in Leh, residents are expected to have easier access to High Court services closer to home.