CJI Surya Kant to inaugurate Ladakh's first permanent HC bench in Leh, bringing justice closer to people

Four SC judges, Chief Justice of J&K and Ladakh HC, Attorney General to attend historic event

18/10/2026

JAMMU, Oct 17: Chief Justice of India (CJI) Justice Surya Kant will visit Ladakh on Sunday to inaugurate the newly constituted Ladakh Bench of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, marking a significant step towards making judicial remedies more accessible to people in the strategically important Union Territory.
Chief Secretary Ashish Kundra announced the visit at a press conference on Saturday, describing the establishment of the bench as a major development in the region's judicial administration.
The CJI will be accompanied by four Supreme Court judges, the Chief Justice of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, other High Court judges and the Attorney General of India, Kundra said.
Highlighting the significance of the initiative, the Chief Secretary said that, in his assessment, establishing a sitting bench in this manner was an uncommon development in the recent history of High Courts in the country. Recalling his experience of working in the northeastern states, he referred to the arrangement of High Court benches in the region as a comparable example.
"Justice coming closer to the people is a very big thing," Kundra said, underlining the importance of reducing the geographical barriers faced by litigants in Ladakh.
Until now, people seeking to challenge administrative decisions or pursue writ proceedings before the High Court generally had to travel to Jammu or Srinagar. The new arrangement is expected to ease this burden by providing access to High Court proceedings within Ladakh, subject to the applicable jurisdictional and procedural arrangements.
For residents of a region characterised by vast distances, difficult terrain and harsh climatic conditions, the availability of judicial proceedings closer to home could reduce travel-related expenses, save time and make access to legal remedies more convenient.
Kundra said the bench was established within two months and described the initiative as a decision taken by the Centre, rather than a demand raised during the ongoing negotiations between Ladakhi representatives and the Union government.
The development comes at a significant time for Ladakh, where political leaders are engaged in discussions with the Ministry of Home Affairs over demands for a Union Territory with a legislature and constitutional safeguards under Article 371.
The establishment of the bench represents a separate judicial and administrative development amid these wider political discussions. Its practical impact will depend on the scope of its jurisdiction, the categories of cases it can hear and the arrangements governing its functioning.
Emphasising the Centre's understanding of the region's unique geographical challenges, Kundra said the government recognised the difficult conditions in which Ladakh's residents live and the importance of ensuring that justice is accessible closer to their homes.
The inauguration is expected to draw attention to the broader question of access to justice in remote and geographically challenging areas, where distance from courts can impose additional burdens on litigants, particularly those with limited financial resources.
Beyond its immediate administrative significance, the new bench carries the potential to strengthen public access to the High Court and bring judicial institutions closer to communities that have long faced logistical challenges in pursuing legal remedies.
The initiative will also place focus on the need for effective judicial infrastructure, adequate staffing and clear procedural arrangements to ensure that the benefits of decentralised access translate into timely and efficient justice for the people of Ladakh.
As the region continues to pursue its broader political and constitutional aspirations, Sunday's inauguration marks an important development in its judicial landscape, with the promise of making the process of seeking justice more accessible to its residents.

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