LEH: Chief Justice of India Justice Surya Kant on Sunday inaugurated the Ladakh Bench of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh at Melongthang in Leh, marking a significant step towards improving access to justice for residents of the Union Territory, particularly those living in remote and far-flung areas.
The establishment of the Bench is expected to reduce the time, expense and hardship faced by litigants who previously had to travel to Srinagar or Jammu for judicial proceedings. The Bench will function as a fully information technology-enabled, paperless court equipped with modern digital infrastructure.
The inauguration was attended by Supreme Court judges Justice M. M. Sundresh and Justice P. S. Narasimha, along with Justice Arun Palli; Attorney General of India R. Venkataramani; Ladakh Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena; Chief Justice of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh Dr Justice Pushpendra Singh Bhati; High Court judges Justice Sanjeev Kumar, Justice Sindhu Sharma and Justice Rajnesh Oswal; and Ladakh Chief Secretary Ashish Kumar Kundra.
Former Chief Justice of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh Justice Tashi Rabstan, other judges of the High Court and their spouses, the Director General of Police, the Law Secretary, administrative secretaries and senior officers of the Army, civil administration, police and other departments of Ladakh also attended the ceremony.
Officers of the High Court Registry, headed by Registrar General M. K. Sharma, Additional Solicitors General of India, Deputy Solicitors General of India and presidents of the Bar Associations of Leh and Kargil were also present.
Addressing the gathering, Chief Justice of the High Court Dr Justice Pushpendra Singh Bhati said access to justice had been the guiding principle behind the establishment of the Ladakh Bench. He described the creation of a constitutional court in one of the world’s highest-altitude regions as a historic milestone in bringing justice closer to people living in geographically challenging areas.
In his presidential address, Chief Justice of India Justice Surya Kant emphasised the role of technology and legal aid in ensuring access to justice in Ladakh. He appreciated the digital initiatives launched to overcome geographical barriers and improve the delivery of judicial services.
Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena described the establishment of the Bench as a historic development in strengthening access to justice in the region. He also highlighted the importance of environmental conservation and ecological sustainability in Ladakh.
Justice M. M. Sundresh, Justice P. S. Narasimha and Justice Arun Palli of the Supreme Court, along with Attorney General R. Venkataramani, also addressed the gathering.
A major highlight of the ceremony was the launch of four initiatives by the Chief Justice of India: the Green Wall, an e-Filing Portal, a Document Management System (DMS) for the Ladakh Bench and an online recruitment portal for the High Court.
The e-Filing Portal will enable advocates and litigants, particularly those from remote areas, to file cases electronically without travelling to the court. The DMS will facilitate the digital management of judicial records, while the online recruitment portal is intended to streamline recruitment in the High Court and district judiciary, promoting transparency, accessibility and efficiency.
The Green Wall initiative symbolised the judiciary’s commitment to environmental conservation. The initiative was marked by the presentation of planters to dignitaries and the screening of a short video.
The court complex also houses a dedicated digitisation centre, filing counter, bar room, litigants’ sitting area, conference room and video-conferencing room to support technology-driven judicial functioning.
The Chief Justice of India also initiated work for the installation of solar power systems at 11 locations, reinforcing the judiciary’s commitment to renewable energy and sustainable infrastructure.
The programme concluded with a vote of thanks by Ladakh Chief Secretary Ashish Kumar Kundra, followed by the National Song and the National Anthem.
Ceremonial Bench held to mark inauguration
Meanwhile, a Ceremonial Bench of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh was held in Leh on Sunday to commemorate the inauguration of the Ladakh Bench and mark what the court described as a significant step towards bringing constitutional justice closer to the people of the Union Territory.
The Ceremonial Bench was presided over by Chief Justice Dr Justice Pushpendra Singh Bhati. Justice Sanjeev Kumar, Justice Sindhu Sharma, Justice Rajnesh Oswal, Justice Sanjay Dhar, Justice Mohd. Akram Chowdhary, Justice Rahul Bharti, Justice Moksha Khajuria Kazmi, Justice Wasim Sadiq Nargal, Justice Rajesh Sekhri, Justice Mohd. Yousuf Wani, Justice Sanjay Parihar, Justice Shahzad Azeem and Justice Yash Paul Bourney, all judges of the High Court, also attended.
Addressing the Ceremonial Bench, Vishal Sharma, Deputy Solicitor General of India for the Jammu Wing, said the establishment of the Ladakh Bench reaffirmed the constitutional promise of accessible justice, strengthened the rule of law and brought constitutional remedies closer to the people.
Tahir Majid Shamsi, Deputy Solicitor General of India for the Srinagar Wing, traced the evolution of judicial institutions in Ladakh since 2019. He said regular judicial sittings, digital facilities and legal aid would substantially ease the hardships faced by litigants.
Advocate Gonbo Stobgyal, president of the Bar Association, Leh, described the occasion as the fulfilment of a long-cherished aspiration of the people of Ladakh and assured the Bar’s full cooperation in the effective administration of justice.
Advocate Reyaz Ahmad Khan, president of the Bar Association, Kargil, also termed the establishment of the Bench a historic milestone and acknowledged the sustained efforts of the judicial leadership in bringing justice closer to the people.
Addressing the gathering, Chief Justice Dr Justice Pushpendra Singh Bhati described the Bench as the realisation of a decades-long aspiration for accessible, inclusive and equitable justice.
He observed that the people of Ladakh had long faced difficult terrain, harsh climatic conditions and substantial travel expenses while pursuing cases in Srinagar and Jammu. A permanent Bench, he said, would help ensure that geographical isolation did not translate into judicial exclusion.
The Chief Justice expressed gratitude to Chief Justice of India Justice Surya Kant for his leadership and acknowledged the collective efforts of the Union Government, the Ministry of Law and Justice and the Ladakh administration in translating the initiative into reality within a short period.
Full Court resolution on education and residential facilities
On the occasion, the Full Court adopted a resolution emphasising the need to promote access to education and provide safe, accessible and affordable residential facilities for girl students in Ladakh, particularly those from remote and far-flung areas.
Recognising the challenges posed by geographical remoteness, long travel distances and inadequate accommodation, the resolution called for greater legal awareness and coordinated efforts among educational institutions, legal services authorities and other stakeholders to ensure equal educational opportunities.
The resolution also requested the Regular Bench to take further action in the matter.
The inauguration of the Ladakh Bench, alongside the introduction of digital judicial services and sustainable infrastructure initiatives, marks a new chapter in the judicial administration of Ladakh, with the stated aim of making justice more accessible, efficient and citizen-centric.
