NEW DELHI: President Droupadi Murmu has promulgated a regulation enabling the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh to hold sittings in the Union Territory of Ladakh, paving the way for bringing the High Court closer to litigants in the region.
The Union Territory of Ladakh (Sitting of Bench of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh in Ladakh) Regulation, 2026 was promulgated on August 27 under Article 240 of the Constitution, read with Section 58(2) of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019.
The regulation provides the legal framework for Judges and Division Courts of the common High Court to sit at a place in Ladakh to be appointed by the Chief Justice, subject to the approval of the Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh.
At the same time, the regulation leaves the existing principal seat of the High Court unchanged.
It also empowers the Chief Justice to direct that any case or class of cases arising in Ladakh may instead be heard at Srinagar or Jammu.
The move is expected to reduce the burden on litigants from Ladakh who have so far had to travel to Jammu or Srinagar for High Court proceedings.
The regulation has been issued through the President’s special powers under Article 240, which authorises the President to make regulations for the peace, progress and good government of certain Union Territories.
Unlike an ordinance under Article 123, the exercise of power under Article 240 is not dependent on Parliament being in recess.
The notification further states that the regulation will come into force on a date to be appointed by the Administrator of the Union Territory of Ladakh through a notification in the Official Gazette.
