Union Territories Of Ladakh, Jammu And Kashmir To Have A Common High Court: J&K State Judicial Academy Director

The two new union territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh which will come into existence on 31 October, the birth anniversary of India’s first home minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, will have a common High Court, reports The Hindu.

J&K State Judicial Academy’s (SJA) director Rajeev Gupta on Monday (8 September) said that both the UTs will have a common High Court. He added that 108 Central laws would be applicable for the two UTs while 164 state laws would be repealed and 166 will continue to be applicable.

Earlier on 5 August, the Centre had diluted the Article 370 of the Constitution, that gave special status to the erstwhile state of J&K. The Centre also bifurcated the state into two UTs of J&K, and Ladakh, which was approved by the Parliament and later President Ram Nath Kovind gave his assent to the bifurcation of the state.

While speaking at a refresher programme organised by the SJA, Gupta discussed the effects of J&K Reorganisation Act, 2019 on state laws in J&K and the pending cases.

Gupta said that while the J&K will have a legislative assembly, the union territory of Ladakh will not have a legislative assembly and will be directly controlled by the Union government.

“There will be a common High Court for the UTs of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. Existing law and procedure for practice in the high court will remain the same,” he said.