In a historic milestone for the administration of justice in the Union Territory of Ladakh, Chief Justice of India Justice Surya Kant inaugurated the newly established Ladakh Bench of the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh at Melongthang, Leh, on October 18.

The establishment of the Bench marks a significant step towards bringing justice closer to the people of Ladakh, particularly those residing in remote and far-flung areas, by reducing the time, expense and hardships involved in travelling to Srinagar or Jammu for judicial proceedings.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by Justice M. M. Sundresh, Justice P. S. Narasimha and Justice Arun Palli, Judges of the Supreme Court of India; R. Venkataramani, Attorney General of India; Vinai Kumar Saxena, Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh; Dr Justice Pushpendra Singh Bhati, Chief Justice of the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh; Justice Sanjeev Kumar, Justice Sindhu Sharma and Justice Rajnesh Oswal, Judges of the High Court; and Ashish Kumar Kundra, Chief Secretary, UT Ladakh.

The occasion was also attended by Justice Tashi Rabstan, former Chief Justice of the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh; other High Court judges and their spouses; the Director General of Police; the Law Secretary; Administrative Secretaries; and senior officers of the Army, civil administration, police and other departments of Ladakh. Officers of the High Court Registry, led by Registrar General M. K. Sharma, Additional and Deputy Solicitors General of India, and presidents of the Bar Associations of Leh and Kargil were also present.

The Chief Justice of India was accorded a ceremonial Guard of Honour before unveiling the inauguration plaque. The ceremony was followed by a group photograph and a guided tour of the court complex.

Addressing the gathering, Dr Justice Pushpendra Singh Bhati, Chief Justice of the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, said that access to justice had been the guiding principle behind the establishment of the Ladakh Bench. He observed that establishing a constitutional court in one of the world's highest-altitude regions was a historic step towards ensuring easier access to justice, particularly for people living in geographically challenging areas.

The Chief Justice of India also virtually inaugurated the Green Wall initiative, symbolising the judiciary's commitment to environmental conservation. The initiative was marked by the presentation of planters to dignitaries and the screening of a short video.

In his special address, Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena described the establishment of the Ladakh Bench as a historic milestone in strengthening access to justice in the region. He also highlighted the importance of the Green Wall initiative in promoting environmental conservation and ecological sustainability in Ladakh.
Justice M. M. Sundresh, Justice P. S. Narasimha and Justice Arun Palli of the Supreme Court, along with Attorney General R. Venkataramani, also addressed the gathering.

A major highlight of the ceremony was the launch of four initiatives by the Chief Justice of India, including the Green Wall, the e-Filing Portal, the Document Management System (DMS) for the Ladakh Bench and the High Court's Online Recruitment Portal.

The e-Filing Portal will enable advocates and litigants, particularly those from remote areas, to file cases electronically, reducing the need to travel to the court. The DMS will facilitate the digital management of judicial records, while the Online Recruitment Portal aims to streamline recruitment in the High Court and District Judiciary, enhancing transparency and efficiency.

The Ladakh Bench will function as a fully IT-enabled, paperless court equipped with modern digital infrastructure. The court complex also houses a dedicated Digitisation Centre, Filing Counter, Bar Room, Litigants' Sitting Area, Conference Room and Video Conferencing Room to support efficient, technology-enabled judicial proceedings.

The Chief Justice of India also initiated work for installing solar power systems at 11 locations, reinforcing the judiciary's commitment to renewable energy and sustainable infrastructure.

Emphasising the role of technology and legal aid in improving access to justice, the Chief Justice of India appreciated the digital initiatives introduced to address the geographical challenges faced by the people of Ladakh.

The inauguration of the Ladakh Bench, along with the launch of digital services and sustainable infrastructure initiatives, marks a new chapter in the region's judicial history. The initiatives aim to make justice more accessible and efficient while ensuring that geographical distances and difficult terrain do not become barriers to legal remedies.