CJI inaugurates Ladakh Bench of the J&K and Ladakh High Court in Leh
In one line: On 18 October 2026 the Chief Justice of India opened a bench of the common High Court in Leh, so that people of Ladakh can reach the High Court without leaving the Union Territory.
Published 19 October 2026. Written by Pratidin from the reports linked at the end; every fact checked by a separate review before publishing. How we work
Chief Justice of India Surya Kant inaugurated the Ladakh Bench of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh at Melongthang, Leh, on Sunday, 18 October 2026. Supreme Court judges, Attorney General R. Venkataramani, Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena and High Court Chief Justice Pushpendra Singh Bhati attended. Hearings begin on 21 October, with a Division Bench of Chief Justice Bhati and Justice Sanjay Parihar taking up the first cases. Until now, litigants from Leh and Kargil had to travel to Srinagar or Jammu. The bench sits about 3,500 metres above sea level; the CJI said he had been told no High Court in India has sat higher. An e-filing portal, a document management system and an online recruitment portal were launched, and the bench is designed as a paperless court.
The legal route was unusual. The Union Cabinet approved a bench for Ladakh on 20 August 2026. On 27 August, President Droupadi Murmu promulgated the Union Territory of Ladakh (Sitting of Bench of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh in Ladakh) Regulation, 2026 under Article 240 of the Constitution, read with Section 58(2) of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019. The Regulation does not create a separate High Court or move the principal seat. It lets the Chief Justice choose a place of sitting in Ladakh, with the Lieutenant Governor's approval, and direct that particular cases or categories of cases be heard at Srinagar or Jammu. On 5 October the High Court chose Leh. Ladakh has been a Union Territory without a legislature since 31 October 2019.
In his address the CJI said, "A name on a court's letterhead is not the same as a court at one's doorstep", referring to the insertion of the name Ladakh in the court's name after Ladakh became a Union Territory in 2019. He announced that, once video-conferencing is set up, Ladakh matters in the Supreme Court will be listed on a single day and heard online from the bench. He called legal aid a constitutional promise and urged Lok Adalats, para-legal volunteers and timely compensation for victims. Separate demands by the Leh Apex Body and the Kargil Democratic Alliance for constitutional safeguards remain under discussion with the Centre.
Prelims facts
- The Ladakh Bench of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh was inaugurated at Leh on 18 October 2026; hearings begin on 21 October.
- The legal basis is a presidential Regulation of 27 August 2026 under Article 240, read with Section 58(2) of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019.
- The Regulation creates sittings of the existing common High Court, not a new High Court, and leaves the principal seat unchanged.
- The CJI said Ladakh matters before the Supreme Court will be listed on one day and heard by video-conference from the bench.
- The CJI linked the bench to legal aid, calling it a constitutional promise (Article 39A).
Quick recall
- When was the Ladakh Bench of the J&K and Ladakh High Court inaugurated, and by whom?
- 18 October 2026, by CJI Surya Kant, at Melongthang, Leh.
- From which date does the Ladakh Bench hear cases?
- 21 October 2026.
- Under which constitutional article was the Ladakh bench Regulation promulgated?
- Article 240, read with Section 58(2) of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019.
- On what date did the President promulgate the Ladakh bench Regulation?
- 27 August 2026.
- Who chooses the place of sitting in Ladakh under the Regulation?
- The High Court's Chief Justice, subject to approval by the Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh.
- Which article allows Parliament to establish a common High Court for two or more States and a Union Territory?
- Article 231.
- Which constitutional article provides for equal justice and free legal aid?
- Article 39A, a Directive Principle added by the 42nd Amendment, 1976.
- When did Ladakh become a Union Territory?
- 31 October 2019, under the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019.
Prelims practice question
With reference to the regulation-making power of the President under Article 240 of the Constitution, consider the following statements:
1. A regulation made under it may repeal or amend an Act of Parliament that applies to the Union Territory concerned.
2. It can be exercised only when both Houses of Parliament are not in session.
3. The legal framework for High Court sittings in Ladakh was created through such a regulation in 2026.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
- 1 and 2 only
- 2 and 3 only
- 1 and 3 only
- 1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: (c) 1 and 3 only. Statement 1 is correct: an Article 240 regulation has the force of an Act of Parliament and may repeal or amend laws applying to the territory. Statement 2 is incorrect: the condition that Parliament be out of session applies to ordinances under Article 123, not to Article 240 regulations. Statement 3 is correct: the Ladakh bench Regulation was promulgated on 27 August 2026 under Article 240 read with Section 58(2) of the 2019 Act.
Use this in UPSC Mains: previous-year questions
Recurring theme: Structure of the higher judiciary, Union Territories and access to justice
- How to use this
Use the Ladakh Bench as an example of non-military, institutional outreach that brings the state closer to Ladakh's people alongside BADP and Army civic action.
- A High Court bench opened at Leh on 18 October 2026; until then litigants from Leh and Kargil had to travel to Srinagar or Jammu.
- The CJI said that, once video-conferencing is set up at the bench, Ladakh matters in the Supreme Court will be listed on a single day and heard online.
- The Leh Apex Body and Kargil Democratic Alliance continue to seek constitutional safeguards, which remain under discussion with the Centre.
The CJI urged Lok Adalats as part of access to justice in Ladakh, but the story does not compare them with arbitration tribunals.
The CJI tied the Ladakh Bench to legal aid delivered through Legal Services Authorities; this question tests who is eligible for free legal services under that system.
Mains practice question
The opening of a High Court bench in Ladakh shows that access to justice depends on physical and digital proximity as much as on legal rights. Discuss. (150 words)
Model answer
Access to justice is part of the right to life under Article 21 and a directive under Article 39A. The new Ladakh Bench at Leh, opened on 18 October 2026, shows that rights mean little if the court is out of reach.
Why proximity matters
- Until now Ladakh's litigants travelled to Srinagar or Jammu; the CJI said the High Court across the Great Himalayas was reachable in winter only by air.
- A presidential Regulation under Article 240 (27 August 2026) allowed sittings in Ladakh without creating a new High Court.
Digital proximity
- e-Filing portal and paperless court at Leh.
- Ladakh matters in the Supreme Court to be heard by video-conference on a single day.
Limits
- Uneven connectivity in remote areas.
- Chief Justice can still send cases to Srinagar or Jammu.
Way forward
- Strengthen legal aid, Lok Adalats and para-legal volunteers.
Courts that come closer, in person and online, turn the promise of justice into practice.
The basics
Why this matters
Until 18 October 2026, a litigant in Kargil or Nubra had to travel to Srinagar or Jammu to reach the High Court. For UPSC, the story joins three static ideas: how High Courts are organised for Union Territories, the President's power to make regulations under Article 240: regulations for Union Territories, and the constitutional promise of Free legal aid under Article 39A.
One High Court, two Union Territories
The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019 split the former State into two Union Territories from 31 October 2019. The existing High Court, first set up in 1928, continued as a Common High Court for two Union Territories. It sits at Srinagar and Jammu. Ladakh, which has no legislature, had no sitting of its own. The bench does not create a new High Court: it lets judges of the same court sit in Ladakh.
- 1870A Special Court is set up in Leh
- 1928High Court of Jammu and Kashmir is established
- 31 October 2019Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and of Ladakh come into existence
- 20 August 2026Union Cabinet approves a High Court bench in Ladakh
- 27 August 2026President promulgates the Ladakh bench Regulation under Article 240
- 5 October 2026High Court selects Leh as the place of sitting
- 18 October 2026CJI Surya Kant inaugurates the bench; hearings from 21 October
Why a regulation and not an Act
Ladakh is one of the Union Territories for which the President can legislate directly by regulation. The power comes from Article 240, read with Section 58(2) of the 2019 Act. A regulation has the same force as an Act of Parliament and can amend laws that apply to the territory. Unlike an ordinance, it does not depend on Parliament being out of session.
- Only for specified Union Territories
- Not tied to Parliament being in recess
- Same force as an Act of Parliament for that territory
- Can cover any Union subject
- Only when both Houses are not in session
- Lapses six weeks after Parliament reassembles unless approved
Distance, technology and legal aid
The CJI said technology and legal aid are the two remedies for distance.
- 1Ladakh BenchHigh Court sittings inside the Union Territory
- 2e-Filing portalAdvocates and litigants file cases electronically
- 3Video-conference to the Supreme CourtLadakh matters listed on a single day and heard online
- 4Legal aid and Lok AdalatsAwareness, affordable representation and quick settlement
Wider demands for constitutional safeguards remain under discussion: see Ladakh as a Union Territory without a legislature.
Go deeper
Why it matters for UPSC
The story tests the structure of the judiciary (GS2), the special legal position of Union Territories and the constitutional idea of access to justice. Prelims can ask about Article 240, Article 231 or Article 39A; Mains can ask how proximity and technology widen access to courts.
The core idea
Ladakh became a Union Territory on 31 October 2019 and shares a Common High Court for two Union Territories with Jammu and Kashmir. That court sat only at Srinagar and Jammu. Because Ladakh is Ladakh as a Union Territory without a legislature, the President could provide for sittings there by regulation under Article 240: regulations for Union Territories, read with Section 58(2) of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019. The Regulation lets the High Court's Chief Justice choose a place in Ladakh, with the Lieutenant Governor's approval, and keep power to send cases to Srinagar or Jammu. The CJI tied the bench to legal aid, which the Constitution promises through Free legal aid under Article 39A.
Numbers and dates to remember
- 20 August 2026: Union Cabinet approval of the bench.
- 27 August 2026: Regulation promulgated by the President.
- 5 October 2026: High Court selects Leh as the place of sitting.
- 18 October 2026: inauguration at Melongthang, Leh; hearings from 21 October.
- About 3,500 metres: altitude of the bench, as cited by the CJI.
- 1870: year a special court was set up in Leh.
Where to go next
- Article 240: regulations for Union Territories: the President's direct law-making power for some Union Territories.
- Common High Court for two Union Territories: how one High Court serves more than one territory.
- Free legal aid under Article 39A: the constitutional basis of legal aid and Lok Adalats.
- Ladakh as a Union Territory without a legislature: why Ladakh is governed directly by the Centre.
Go deeper: proximity versus a separate High Court
The case for the bench. Distance is a real barrier. The CJI noted that before the bench the High Court lay across the Great Himalayas, reachable in winter only by air. A bench reduces cost, time and the hardship of winter travel. His line, "A name on a court's letterhead is not the same as a court at one's doorstep", sums up the argument: renaming the court in 2019 did not by itself bring it closer.
Technology as a multiplier. The bench launched an e-filing portal and a document management system and is designed as a paperless court. Video-conference listing of Ladakh matters in the Supreme Court extends the same idea upward. Critics of purely digital access point out that connectivity in remote areas is uneven.
Limits of the arrangement. The Article 240: regulations for Union Territories route creates sittings of an existing court, not a new High Court. The principal seat is unchanged and the Chief Justice can still direct that some cases be heard at Srinagar or Jammu. Some see this as a sensible first step; others note that Ladakh's broader demands, pursued by the Leh Apex Body and the Kargil Democratic Alliance for constitutional safeguards, are political questions that a court bench cannot answer.
Legal aid as the second pillar. The CJI described legal aid as making people aware of their rights, not only providing a free lawyer. This links the bench to Free legal aid under Article 39A and to Lok Adalats under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987. The Common High Court for two Union Territories model, used for Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, shows that a shared court can still be brought closer through benches and digital tools.
Article 240: regulations for Union Territories
The President's direct law-making power that made the bench possible.
In one line: Article 240 lets the President make regulations, with the force of an Act of Parliament, for the peace, progress and good government of certain Union Territories.
What the article says
Article 240 names territories such as the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, and Puducherry (for Puducherry, only when its legislature is dissolved or suspended). A regulation may repeal or amend any Act of Parliament, or any other law, that applies to the territory. It is direct executive law-making for areas without full legislatures.
Why Ladakh is covered
The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019 extended this power to Ladakh through Section 58(2). The Ladakh bench Regulation of 27 August 2026 was made under Article 240 read with that section. It came into force on a date notified by the Administrator.
How it differs from an ordinance
An ordinance under Article 123 can be issued only when Parliament is not in session and must be approved after it reassembles. An Article 240 regulation has no such condition.
Where to go next
Common High Court for two Union Territories
How one High Court can serve more than one territory.
In one line: The Constitution allows one High Court to serve more than one State or Union Territory, and the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh is such a common court.
The constitutional basis
Article 214 provides a High Court for each State. Article 231 allows Parliament, by law, to establish a common High Court for two or more States and a Union Territory. Article 241 allows Parliament to constitute a High Court for a Union Territory or declare a court there to be a High Court. Examples of shared courts include the Bombay High Court for Maharashtra, Goa and the Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu.
The Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh case
The High Court was established on 26 March 1928 by Maharaja Hari Singh. After reorganisation took effect on 31 October 2019, it continued as the common High Court for both Union Territories, sitting at Srinagar and Jammu. From 21 October 2026 it also hears cases at Leh.
Where to go next
Free legal aid under Article 39A
The constitutional basis of legal aid and Lok Adalats the CJI stressed.
In one line: Article 39A directs the State to ensure equal justice and free legal aid so that no citizen is denied justice because of economic or other disabilities.
The provision
Article 39A is a Directive Principle of State Policy, added by the Constitution (Forty-second Amendment) Act, 1976. Directive Principles are not enforceable in court, but the Supreme Court has read free legal aid into the right to life and personal liberty under Article 21 for accused persons.
The machinery
The Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 set up the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA), State and District authorities, and Lok Adalats, which settle disputes by compromise and whose awards are final. At Leh, the CJI urged legal awareness camps, para-legal volunteers, Lok Adalats and timely compensation for crime victims, and said he hoped the Ladakh Legal Services Authority would reach remote villages.
Why it is in the news
The CJI called legal aid a constitutional promise and said it means making people aware of their rights, not only a free lawyer.
Where to go next
Ladakh as a Union Territory without a legislature
Why laws for Ladakh come from Parliament or the President.
In one line: Since 31 October 2019 Ladakh has been a Union Territory without a legislature, administered by a Lieutenant Governor appointed by the President.
How it was created
The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019 was passed by the Rajya Sabha on 5 August and the Lok Sabha on 6 August 2019, and received assent on 9 August 2019. It created the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, with a legislature, and the Union Territory of Ladakh, without one.
What it means
Without a legislature, laws for Ladakh come from Parliament or from presidential regulations under Article 240: regulations for Union Territories. Groups such as the Leh Apex Body and the Kargil Democratic Alliance seek constitutional safeguards, and talks with the Ministry of Home Affairs continue.
Why it is in the news
The High Court bench answers one demand, access to justice. The CJI said the bench belongs equally to Leh and Kargil.
Where to go next
Take the 19 October 2026 quiz: 18 Prelims-style questions with answers