CJI Surya Kant inaugurates Ladakh High Court Bench in Leh

Chief Justice of India Surya Kant inaugurated the Ladakh Bench of the High Court in Leh. The opening advances accessible justice for residents, especially those in remote communities.

In Short

• Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena called the opening a landmark
• Remote communities are expected to gain easier access to judicial services
• Four Supreme Court judges and senior legal officials attended the ceremony

Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on Sunday inaugurated the Ladakh Bench of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh in Leh, news agency Press Trust of India reported.

Ladakh Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena described the inauguration as a landmark that fulfilled a long-standing demand for a court closer to residents.

“A new era of accessible justice begins in Ladakh! Deeply grateful to Chief Justice of India for inaugurating the Ladakh Bench of the High Court of J&K and Ladakh today at Leh, in the gracious presence of Supreme Court judges and the Chief Justice and other companion judges of the High Court of J&K and Ladakh,” Saxena said in a post on X after the event.

He said the new Bench and the Chief Justice of India's successive visits to the Union Territory within six months reflected his commitment to ensuring access to justice for all, particularly people in Ladakh's remote communities.

“My sincere thanks and gratitude to the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, and Home Minister, Amit Shah, for consistently guiding Ladakh on the path of prosperity and inclusive development,” Saxena said.

Justice Surya Kant inaugurated the Bench at the High Court Complex in Melangthong, Leh. Supreme Court Justices M M Sundresh, P S Narasimha, N Kotiswar Singh and Arun Palli attended the event, along with Attorney General for India R Venkataramani, Chief Justice of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh Pushpendra Singh Bhati, and other High Court judges, officials told Press Trust of India.

The inauguration of the Ladakh Bench brings the High Court closer to people in the Union Territory and marks an important step in Ladakh's institutional development.

- Ends