Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday announced that the Union Cabinet, under the leadership of PM Modi has decided to set up a bench of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir in Ladakh. He said the move will significantly enhance access to justice for citizens living in remote areas of Ladakh by reducing the time required to avail themselves of the legal services they are entitled to.
Amit Shah added that the move from the Centre is aimed at improving access to justice for people living in the remote and geographically challenging areas of Ladakh. Significantly, this decision from the Centre is expected to make it easier for residents of Ladakh to access the High Court without having to undertake lengthy journeys to seek legal remedies.
Why is a high court bench in Ladakh is significant?
A high court bench in Ladakh is significant as it is a vast, mountainous Union Territory where travelling long distances can be difficult and more specifically for people who need to appear in court or seek legal assistance.
Currently, the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh is a common High Court for both union territories and the Department of Justice has listed Jammu and Srinagar as the principal seats of the High Court.
With the new move from the Centre, the proposed bench in Ladakh will reduce the need for residents to travel outside the Union Territory for matters that require access to the High Court.
When Ladakh became UT?
Ladakh became a Union Territory on October 31, 2019 after the reorganisation of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories — Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. Moreover, the reorganisation resulted in the existing High Court becoming the common High Court for Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. Till now, Ladakh does not have a separate High Court of its own. The latest move from the Centre will strengthen the judicial access within the Union Territory rather than creating a separate High Court for Ladakh.
Union Cabinet approves four projects of Railway Ministry
In another development, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by PM Modi, on Wednesday approved four projects of the Railway Ministry with a total cost of approximately Rs 9,450 crore. The projects include the construction of a fourth line between Kharagpur in West Bengal and Bhadrak (Ranital) in Odisha, covering 173 km, and a fourth line between Bhadrak and Haridaspur in Odisha, covering 75 km.
The other projects also include include the laying of the third and fourth lines between Gummidipundi in Andhra Pradesh and Gudur in Tamil Nadu, covering 90 km, and between Cuttack and Paradeep (Badabandha) in Odisha, covering 72 km. These new projects, which will increase the existing network of Indian Railways by about 410 Kms, will cost about Rs.9,450 crore with completion deadline up to 2030-31.
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