Srinagar, Sep 09: Justice Pushpendra Singh Bhati was on Wednesday sworn in as the new Chief Justice of the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh at a ceremony held at the SKUAST-Kashmir campus in Shuhama, Ganderbal.
The oath of office was administered to Justice Bhati by Ladakh Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena, who is also holding the additional charge of Lieutenant Governor of Jammu & Kashmir.
The swearing-in ceremony was attended by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, National Conference president and former Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah, Speaker of the Jammu & Kashmir Legislative Assembly Abdul Rahim Rather, members of the Council of Ministers, judges of the High Court, senior civil administration officials and police officers.
With the assumption of office, Justice Bhati has taken charge of the common High Court serving the Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh. His appointment comes at a significant juncture in the judicial administration of the two Union Territories, which continue to share a common High Court following the reorganisation of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.
The ceremony brought together the top leadership of the Union Territories, the judiciary and the civil and police administration, marking the formal beginning of Justice Bhati’s tenure as head of the High Court.
Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena congratulated Justice Bhati on his appointment and extended his best wishes for a successful tenure ahead.
Justice Bhati succeeds as the head of the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh after serving as a judge of the Rajasthan High Court. His elevation to the position of Chief Justice places him at the helm of the judicial institution responsible for adjudicating cases from both Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.
The High Court continues to play a central role in matters concerning constitutional rights, civil and criminal cases, public interest litigation and other legal disputes arising across the two Union Territories.
The appointment and swearing-in also assumes importance in the context of the evolving administrative and judicial framework of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh after the reorganisation of the erstwhile state in 2019.
The presence of senior political leaders, judges and top officials at the ceremony underlined the importance attached to the transition and the role of the judiciary in ensuring access to justice and upholding the rule of law in the two Union Territories.
Justice Bhati will now preside over the functioning of the High Court and oversee its judicial and administrative responsibilities during his tenure as Chief Justice.
