Judge Strength of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court to Increase from 17 to 25

Mudasir Yaqoob

Srinagar: The Judge strength of the Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court is set to increase from 17 to 25, according to a letter issued by Union Law Ministry addressed to Cheif Justice of J&K.

This enhancement, effective from October 25, 2024, has been approved in consultation with the Chief Justice of India.

The revised Judge strength will comprise 19 Permanent Judges and 6 Additional Judges, with a 66 percent 33½ percent distribution between members from the Bar and Service, respectively.

The share allocation under the revised structure will assign 17 seats to members of the Bar and 8 to Service members.

In the letter, Union Ministry has requested the Chief Justice Tashi Rabstan to expedite proposals to fill the vacant posts and ensure adequate representation for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes, Minorities, and Women in appointments.

The decision is part of a broader effort to bolster the judicial capacity of the High Court in Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh to manage the growing caseload effectively and ensure timely justice.