Srinagar, Sep 8: The September 9 swearing-in of Justice Pushpendra Singh Bhati as Chief Justice of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh will have a first-of-its-kind dimension for the Union Territory of Ladakh, with Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena set to administer the oath of office.
Top official sources told Rising Kashmir that the ceremony is scheduled to be held at the Convention Centre in Srinagar at 11 am. The move assumes significance as Vinai Kumar Saxena will be the first Ladakh Lieutenant Governor to administer the oath to the Chief Justice of the common High Court after Ladakh attained Union Territory status in 2019.
The unprecedented oath-taking arrangement comes at a significant juncture for Ladakh’s judicial system, particularly after a new regulation providing for the sitting of a Bench of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh in the Union Territory came into force on September 5.
Ladakh LG Saxena before a week had announced the implementation of the regulation in a post on X, describing it as a major step towards bringing judicial services closer to the people, especially those residing in remote and difficult-to-reach areas.
He said the move would help litigants save valuable time and resources and would further strengthen access to justice across Ladakh.
The LG had also expressed gratitude to President Droupadi Murmu for promulgating the regulation and thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah for their continued support for the inclusive development of Ladakh.
Against this backdrop, Justice Bhati’s assumption of office is being viewed as another important development for the common judiciary of the two Union Territories.
President Droupadi Murmu appointed Justice Bhati as Chief Justice on September 5 following the recommendation of the Supreme Court Collegium made on August 31. The appointment notification stated that he would assume office from the date he takes charge.
Justice Bhati will succeed Justice Sanjeev Kumar, who has been functioning as Acting Chief Justice since June 2.
A judge of the Rajasthan High Court, Justice Bhati was elevated to the Bench on November 16, 2016, and brings substantial judicial experience to his new assignment.
While Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh have separate administrative establishments, they continue to have a common High Court. The recent provision for a Bench to sit in Ladakh is expected to make judicial proceedings more accessible to residents of the Union Territory.
The September 9 ceremony will therefore carry significance beyond the formal change of leadership, with the Ladakh Lieutenant Governor administering the oath for the first time since the Union Territory came into existence in 2019, even as the region moves towards greater institutional access to the common High Court.
