The collegium of the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, under the leadership of Chief Justice Arun Palli, has put forth a recommendation for eleven individuals to be appointed as judges, aiming to fill existing vacancies within the court. This significant proposal, comprising ten advocates and one judicial officer, marks the largest single batch of recommendations processed in a concerted effort by the High Court to bolster its judicial strength. The list has been formally dispatched to the J&K Lok Bhawan, with copies also sent to the Supreme Court collegium and the Union Law Ministry for their review and subsequent action.
Sources indicate to TahirRihat.com that the Chief Justice engaged in extensive consultations with senior judges, including Justice Sanjeev Kumar and Justice Sindhu Sharma, to thoroughly evaluate all prospective candidates before finalizing the list. The process, which has been underway for several days, prioritized ensuring representation from all regions within Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, as well as from diverse societal segments. This comprehensive approach underscores the High Court’s commitment to a balanced and inclusive judicial appointment system.
The proposed list of advocates includes Vishal Sharma, who currently serves as the Assistant Solicitor General of India in Jammu; Namgyal Wangchuk; Jahangir Iqbal Ganai; Pawan Kumar Kundal; Tahir Majid Shamshi, the Deputy Solicitor General of India in Srinagar; Tabasum Zafar; Anupam Raina; Vikram Kumar Sharma; Amit Gupta, a former Additional Advocate General; and Pranav Kohli. The recommendation from the Bench quota is Yash Paul Bourney, a senior judicial officer presently serving as a member of the J&K Tribunal. The inclusion of Tabasum Zafar from Kashmir is particularly noteworthy, as her appointment, if accepted, would signify the first instance of a woman from the Kashmir valley being elevated to the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, a move aimed at enhancing gender representation on the bench.
The High Court is currently operating with a complement of thirteen judges, including Chief Justice Arun Palli, against a sanctioned strength of twenty-five. This leaves twelve positions vacant, ten of which are designated for appointments from the Bar. The current exercise is specifically designed to address these critical staffing gaps. The existing thirteen judges are Justice Sanjeev Kumar, Justice Sindhu Sharma, Justice Rajnesh Oswal, Justice Sanjay Dhar, Justice Mohammad Akram Chowdhary, Justice Rahul Bharti, Justice Moksha Khajuria Kazmi, Justice Wasim Sadiq Nargal, Justice Rajesh Sekhri, Justice Mohammad Yousuf Wani, Justice Sanjay Parihar, and Justice Shahzad Azeem. The judicial strength was recently reduced to thirteen following the superannuation of Justice Javed Iqbal Wani on March 23rd of this year.
The increase in the sanctioned strength of the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh from seventeen to twenty-five judges was approved in November 2024 by the Union Ministry of Law and Justice, in consultation with the Chief Justice of India. This augmentation, which comprises nineteen permanent judges and six additional judges, is a strategic measure intended to alleviate the growing backlog of cases that has been a persistent challenge for the judiciary in the region. The enhanced capacity is expected to expedite the resolution of legal matters and improve the overall efficiency of the court system.
Following the J&K High Court collegium’s recommendations, the process will now move to the Supreme Court collegium, which will undertake its own assessment and decision-making on the proposed names. Subsequently, the approved names will be forwarded to the Union Ministry of Law and Justice for final clearance. The list will then be presented to the Prime Minister’s Office for the Union Government’s endorsement before being submitted to the President of India for the issuance of the formal warrants of appointment. This multi-stage approval process ensures a thorough vetting of candidates before their elevation to the High Court bench, reflecting the gravity of judicial appointments.
Tahir Rihat (also known as Tahir Bilal) is an independent journalist, activist, and digital media professional from the Chenab Valley of Jammu and Kashmir, India. He is best known for his work as the Online Editor at The Chenab Times.
