Ladakh Bench of J&K and Ladakh High Court begins regular hearings in Leh

LEH — The newly established Ladakh Bench of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh began its first regular hearings in Leh on Wednesday, bringing High Court proceedings closer to litigants in the Union Territory.

A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Pushpendra Singh Bhati and Justice Sanjay Parihar was scheduled to take up five cases on the opening day, according to the High Court’s published notifications and cause lists. The court has identified a total of 75 cases for initial listing before the Ladakh Bench.

The Bench was formally inaugurated by Chief Justice of India Justice Surya Kant at Melongthang in Leh on October 18.

Its establishment is intended to ease access to the High Court for residents of Ladakh, who previously had to travel to Srinagar or Jammu to pursue cases before it.

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The Ladakh Bench will function as part of the existing High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, which exercises jurisdiction over both Union Territories. It is not a separate High Court and is expected to initially operate through rotational sittings by judges, with hearings scheduled twice a week.

The new arrangement is expected to reduce travel costs, time and logistical difficulties for litigants and lawyers from Leh and Kargil, particularly in view of the region’s difficult terrain and harsh winter conditions.

At the inauguration, Justice Surya Kant also announced an arrangement to facilitate hearings of cases originating from Ladakh that are pending before the Supreme Court. Under the proposed arrangement, such cases would be grouped for listing on a single day to reduce the need for repeated journeys to New Delhi by litigants and advocates from the region.

The impact of the new Bench will depend on the regularity of its sittings, the disposal of cases and the accessibility of court services to residents across Ladakh.