Fulfilling a four-year-old demand, the Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant on Saturday inaugurated the dedicated High Court Bench for Ladakh in Leh, highliting that justice delivery must overcome geographical barriers.
The Ladakh Bench of the HC of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh will function from Leh and cater to both Leh and Kargil districts.
In his inaugural address, CJI Kant said Ladakh's people have shown immense patience. Despite becoming a separate UT, they continued to depend on distant benches for justice, which violated the spirit of Article 39-A of the Indian Constitution.
"Lawyers from Ladakh had to brave snow, landslides and flight cancellations to reach Jammu. Today that chapter ends," he said.
CJI Kant said that the hearing of cases at the Ladakh bench will commence from October 21, Wednesday. A division bench of Chief Justice Pushpendra Singh Bhati and Justice Sanjay Parihar is expected to take up five cases on that day. Justice Parihar will also preside over a single bench and hear cases on Thursday and Friday as well.
The HC has identified a total of 75 cases for listing before the bench situated in Leh. The bench will initially have sittings of HC judges on rotation and will function twice a week.
Many Senior Supreme Court judges, including Justices M M Sundresh, P S Narasimha and Arun Palli, along with judges of the HC, were also present on the occasion. Attorney General of India R Venkatramani and Ladakh Lieutenant Governor (LG) VK Saxena also attended the event.
The CJI assured that the Supreme Court will be sensitive to Ladakh's difficulties. "I have directed the Registry that all cases from Ladakh in the Supreme Court be listed on one single day. Litigants and advocates need not travel again and again," CJI said.
He said listing together will also help SC understand the ground realities of the region better.
Highlighting the logistical hardships faced by litigants from Ladakh in the top court, the CJI Kant made a very significant announcement that all the cases originating from Ladakh and pending in the Supreme Court will be bunched and listed on a single day for early disposal.
He also called for recruitment of local youths into court staff, registries and the establishment of e-Sewa Kendras and strengthening of legal aid.
