The nomenclature of "Common High Court of UT of Jammu and Kashmir and UT of Ladakh" has been changed to the "High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh." After the bifurcation of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories (UTs)-Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, it was announced that the Jammu and Kashmir High Court will continue to be the common High Court for both the UTs.
President Ram Nath Kovind signed the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Removal of Difficulties) Order, 2021, to change nomenclature to the "High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh". The order was notified by the Union Ministry of Law and Justice, Department of Justice on Friday.
The order says the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act, 2019 declared that the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir would be the "Common High Court for the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and Union Territory of Ladakh". Now nomenclature has been changed to the "High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh".
J&K, Ladakh to continue with the same High-Court
Despite re-organizing different institutions and departments between two Union Territories after bifurcation of the erstwhile state as per the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, it was decided that the Jammu and Kashmir High Court will continue to be the common High Court for UTs of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
The expenditure in respect of salaries and allowances of the Judges of the common High Court are allocated amongst the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir and Union territory of Ladakh based on the population ratio.
As per the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, the two Union Territories came into existence at the stroke of midnight on 31 October, after the Centre revoked Article 370 on August 5, 2019.
Existing nomenclature was cumbersome, long-winding
As per the notification of the Department of Law, "the present nomenclature is rather long-winding and cumbersome. The said nomenclature may be substituted as the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, which besides being convenient would also be in consonance with the name pattern followed in other common High Courts, namely, Punjab and Haryana High Court, which has jurisdiction over the states of Punjab and Haryana and the Union Territory of Chandigarh."
Views on the proposal were sought from the Lieutenant Governors of J&K and Ladakh and the Chief Justice of the High Court. The Lieutenant Governors have conveyed their agreement to the proposed change in the name.
