New name for Jammu and Kashmir High Court

With an order notified by Department of justice in Law Ministry on July 16, 2021, nomenclature of ‘Common High Court of UT of Jammu & Kashmir and UT of Ladakh’ has been changed to ‘High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh’.

Highlights

  • President Ram Nath Kovind signed “Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Removal of Difficulties) Order, 2021” to make this change.
  • This nomenclature might be substituted as “High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh” for sake of convenience in consonance with name pattern followed in “Punjab and Haryana High Court” which has jurisdiction over states of Punjab, Haryana and Union Territory of Chandigarh.

Background

This change was made in line with the enactment of Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019. This act was enacted to reorganise the state of Jammu & Kashmir into Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir and Union Territory of Ladakh.

Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019

This act comprises of provisions of reconstituting State of Jammu & Kashmir, including the park of a Kashmir which has been a subject of dispute between India, Pakistan, and China since 1947, into two union territories called Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh. This act was enacted on October 31, 2019. Bill for the act was introduced and passed on August 5, 2019 by Minister of Home Affairs, Amit Shah. On August 6, 2019 it was passed by the Lok Sabha and received President’s assent on 9 August 2019. Introduction of this bill was preceded by presidential order under Article 370 revoking special status of Jammu & Kashmir.

High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh

This court is common for union territory of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh. It was established on March 26, 1928 by letters patent issued by Maharaja of Jammu & Kashmir. It has a sanctioned judge strength of 17 of which13 are permanent judges and 4 are additional judges. Justice Pankaj Mithal is the Chief Justice of Court since January 4, 2021.


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