Centre raises judge strength in J&K High Court to 25

Srinagar, Nov 8: The Union Ministry of Law and Justice on Friday increased the sanctioned strength of the Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh High Court from 17 to 25 judges.

The Bar and Bench reported that this decision, taken in consultation with Chief Justice of India (CJI) D Y Chandrachud, reflects a strategic effort to enhance judicial efficiency in the region.

The revised composition will include 19 permanent judges and 6 additional judges.

The change comes in response to a request made in January 2022 by the then Chief Justice of the High Court, highlighting the pressing need for additional judicial resources.

The ministry communicated this decision through a letter dated November 5, sent to the current Chief Justice of the Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh High Court, Justice Tashi Rabstan.

In the correspondence, Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal urged Chief Justice Rabstan to expedite the process of filling the newly sanctioned posts.

Meghwal emphasised the importance of including candidates from diverse backgrounds, specifically mentioning Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes, minorities, and women to ensure a more inclusive judiciary.

The allocation of the new judge positions will follow a 66:33 ratio between appointments from the Bar (advocates) and the Service (district judiciary).

Consequently, 17 judges will be appointed from the Bar, while eight will be from the district judiciary. This structure aims to maintain a balanced representation of legal practitioners and experienced judges from the lower courts.

Currently, the High Court operates with 17 judges, comprising 13 permanent and 4 additional judges. Sources pointed to the escalating workload and case backlog as primary reasons for the increased judge strength.

The region's judiciary has faced mounting challenges, with pending cases straining the existing judicial infrastructure.