SRINAGAR, AUGUST 28: The President of India has formally promulgated the Union Territory of Ladakh (Sitting of Bench of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh in Ladakh) Regulation, 2026, clearing the legal pathway for the establishment and functioning of a High Court Bench in Ladakh.
The development comes days after the Union Cabinet approved the proposal to establish a High Court Bench in the Union Territory, aimed at bringing judicial services closer to the people of Ladakh.
The newly promulgated regulation lays down the legal and administrative framework for conducting sittings of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh within Ladakh.
As per the regulation, Judges and Division Courts of the High Court will be authorised to conduct proceedings at any location within the Union Territory of Ladakh designated by the Chief Justice, subject to the approval of the Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh.
The regulation also gives the Chief Justice the authority to decide where cases originating from Ladakh should be heard. At the Chief Justice’s discretion, any particular case or category of cases may be directed to be taken up in Srinagar or Jammu, depending on the circumstances.
This provision provides flexibility in the administration of judicial proceedings and allows the High Court to determine the appropriate venue for cases arising from Ladakh.
The regulation further stipulates that the principal seat of the common High Court will continue to remain at the location where the principal seat of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh was situated immediately before the new regulation comes into force.
The President’s action follows the Union Cabinet’s decision to establish a High Court Bench in Ladakh and is expected to improve access to justice for residents of the Union Territory, particularly by reducing the need to travel outside Ladakh for judicial proceedings.
The regulation has been promulgated under Article 240 of the Constitution of India, which empowers the President to make regulations for certain Union Territories that do not have legislatures. Such regulations carry the force of law and remain applicable within the concerned Union Territory.
The promulgation of the 2026 Regulation marks a significant step towards operationalising the High Court Bench in Ladakh and strengthening the judicial infrastructure and accessibility of justice in the Union Territory. (KNC)
