Almost a century after J&K HC was set up, Ladakh gets bench
A century after the Jammu & Kashmir High Court was established, the Union Territory of Ladakh now boasts its own high court bench situated in Leh, 3,500 meters above sea level. Chief Justice Surya Kant inaugurated the bench and emphasized that the location of the court is less important than its accessibility to the people it serves.
The J&K HC was founded on March 26, 1928, with three judges, including Chief Justice Lala Kanwar Sein. The CJI highlighted the difficult terrain and harsh winters that made accessing the court challenging for many. After Ladakh became a Union Territory in 2019, the HC was rechristened as the HC of J&K and Ladakh. Despite the establishment of the bench, justice will not be accessible to far-flung villages in the region.
The CJI proposed using technology and legal aid services to provide greater access to justice for all. The CJI also announced that once video-conferencing facilities are available to the lawyers at the Ladakh bench, the Supreme Court will list all matters from Ladakh on a single day and hear them on a daily basis through videoconferencing.
The CJI expressed hope that one day, a young child in Ladakh will argue their first case in the court and perhaps become a judge themselves.
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