LEH: The President of India has promulgated the Union Territory of Ladakh (Sitting of Bench of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh in Ladakh) Regulation, 2026, paving the way for sittings of a bench of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh in the Union Territory of Ladakh.
According to an official statement, the regulation was notified in the Gazette of India Extraordinary on August 27, a week after the Union Cabinet approved the proposal on August 20.
Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh Vinai Kumar Saxena welcomed the development and said the move fulfilled a long-pending demand of the people of the Union Territory.
He said the swift notification of the regulation reflected the Government of India’s commitment to addressing the aspirations of the people of Ladakh and improving access to justice, particularly for residents of remote and far-flung areas.
Expressing gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Saxena described the decision as a significant step towards making judicial services more accessible to the people of Ladakh.
According to the statement, the establishment of High Court sittings in Ladakh is expected to reduce the time, travel and expenses involved in pursuing higher judicial remedies, given the region’s geographical challenges and distance from existing judicial facilities.
Officials said the measure would benefit litigants, advocates and other stakeholders by bringing constitutional and legal remedies closer to their homes and strengthening access to the justice delivery system.
