Chief Justice of India Surya Kant is set to open the permanent bench of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh in Leh on Sunday. The ceremony will be attended by Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena and Chief Secretary Ashish Kundra. The move marks the first time a sitting bench has been established in the territory. The new bench aims to bring justice closer to the region's scattered communities.
Kundra said that people living in far‑flung areas have long struggled to reach higher courts because of rugged terrain and harsh weather. He added that the bench will eliminate the need to travel to Srinagar or Jammu for writ petitions. The initiative was not part of earlier talks but a unilateral decision by the central government.
The regulation that created the bench was promulgated by President Droupadi Murmu on August 27 and came into force on September 5, the date set by the Lieutenant Governor. Saxena called the development a historic step toward making the justice delivery system more accessible. He thanked President Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah for backing the move.
The opening is expected to ease the burden on litigants, allowing them to file petitions locally. The bench will open its doors for legal proceedings, providing a much‑needed shortcut for residents who previously had to cross the Himalayas.