Kashmir Impulse Desk
Leh, Oct 21
The Ladakh bench of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh began regular hearings in Leh on Wednesday, marking a step towards improving access to justice in the remote Himalayan territory.
Chief Justice Pushpendra Singh Bhati and Justice Sanjay Parihar presided over the first regular division-bench proceedings at the facility, located at an altitude of more than 11,500 feet above sea level.
The Chief Justice participated virtually, while Justice Parihar was present in person.
The division bench heard five listed matters before Parihar took up 60 cases in single-bench proceedings.
The hybrid arrangement enabled the court to conduct hearings with one judge attending remotely and the other physically present in Leh.
Parihar said the listing of 65 cases reflected the initial effort to organise hearings for litigants from Ladakh.
The new facility is intended to reduce the need for litigants from Leh, Kargil and other remote areas to travel long distances to Srinagar or Jammu for High Court proceedings.
Its opening was described as an important step towards extending judicial services to geographically isolated communities.
The bench was formally inaugurated by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on October 18 at Melongthang in Leh.
