&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium)
The Centre approved a High Court bench in Ladakh to improve access to justice for residents in remote areas and reduce the time and travel needed to access legal services, Amit Shah said.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday (August 20) said the Cabinet has decided to establish a bench of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh in Ladakh to improve access to justice for people living in remote parts of the Union Territory.
Shah said the move will reduce the time residents need to access legal services and reaffirmed the government's commitment to Ladakh's development and constitutional safeguards.
"The Union Cabinet, under the leadership of the PM Shri @narendramodi Ji, has decided to set up a bench of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir in Ladakh. This will significantly enhance access to justice for citizens living in remote areas of Ladakh by reducing the time required to avail themselves of the legal services they are entitled to," Shah said in a message posted on X.
Ladakh is a vast and mountainous Union Territory where residents often travel long distances to appear in court or seek legal assistance. The proposed bench is expected to reduce the need for people to travel outside the Union Territory for matters requiring High Court intervention.
The High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh currently serves as the common High Court for Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. According to the Department of Justice, Jammu and Srinagar are the principal seats of the court.
Also Read: Iran slams Trump’s ‘economic terrorism’; IRGC warns of using ‘more precise and destructive’ weapons
Ladakh does not have a separate High Court of its own. The proposed bench will bring High Court services closer to residents without creating a separate judicial institution for the Union Territory.
Ladakh became a separate Union Territory on October 31, 2019, after the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir was reorganised into two Union Territories, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
The reorganisation made the existing High Court the common court for both Union Territories. The latest Cabinet decision aims to strengthen access to justice in Ladakh by establishing a High Court bench within the region.