J&K&L High Court Closes PIL As Ladakh Administration Establishes Recruitment Framework For Gazetted Posts
The High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh has closed a Public Interest Litigation concerning non-recruitment to gazetted posts in the Union Territory of Ladakh, after the respondent authorities filed a status report stating that the grievance had been completely redressed.
The Court was hearing an application for revival of a PIL registered on the basis of a letter addressed to the Chief Justice, raising grievance regarding the failure to undertake recruitment to gazetted cadre posts in Ladakh for the last five years.
A Bench of Acting Chief Justice Sanjeev Kumar and Justice Mohd Yousuf Wani observed that "the respondent has categorically stated that the grievance projected in the PIL has been completely redressed" and that "the Union Territory Administration has fully established the requisite statutory and regulatory framework and has even initiated steps for making recruitment to the gazetted post through the UPSC."
The PIL was registered on the basis of a letter addressed to the Chief Justice of the Court through social media, raising grievance regarding non-recruitment to gazetted cadre posts in the Union Territory of Ladakh for the preceding five years.
After considering the response from the respondent-authorities, the Court on December 30, 2024 disposed of the petition with liberty to the petitioners to seek revival of the same if their grievances remained unresolved, taking note of the fact that the authorities were actively addressing the grievances projected. When the respondent-authorities failed to act with due diligence, the petitioners filed an application for revival of the PIL.
The petitioners contended that despite the earlier disposal of the PIL with liberty to revive, the respondent-authorities had failed to act with due diligence in addressing the grievance relating to non-recruitment to gazetted posts in the Union Territory of Ladakh.
The respondent, through the status report contended that the grievance projected in the PIL had been completely redressed. It was submitted that the Union Territory Administration had fully established the requisite statutory and regulatory framework and had initiated steps for making recruitment to the gazetted posts through the UPSC.
The respondent further stated that the recruitment process was presently at various stages and was being carried out by the UPSC in accordance with its prescribed procedure, and that upon receipt of recommendations from the Commission, the appointments to the gazetted posts would be made in accordance with law.
The Court noted that before passing any orders with regard to revival of the PIL, it had put the learned counsel for the respondent on notice to seek instructions in the matter. In response, the status report dated April 23, 2026 was filed on behalf of the respondent.
The Court observed that the respondent had categorically stated that the grievance projected in the PIL had been completely redressed. It was noted that the Union Territory Administration had fully established the requisite statutory and regulatory framework and had even initiated steps for making recruitment to the gazetted post through the UPSC.
The Court further noted from the status report that the recruitment process was presently at various stages and was being carried out by the UPSC in accordance with its prescribed procedure. The respondent had stated that upon receipt of recommendations from the Commission, the appointments to the gazetted posts in the Union Territory Administration would be made in accordance with law.
In view of the reply and status report submitted by the respondent, the Court concluded that there was no good reason or justification to revive the Public Interest Litigation. "In view of the aforesaid reply/status report submitted by the respondent, we do not see any good reason or justification to revive the Public Interest Litigation," the Court observed.
The Court held that since the respondent-authorities had fully established the statutory and regulatory framework and had initiated recruitment process through UPSC, the grievance stood redressed. "For the foregoing reasons, the proceedings in this PIL are closed," the Court recorded.
The Court accordingly closed the proceedings and disposed of the PIL.
Case Title: Gazetted Aspirants, Residents of Ladakh v. Union Territory of Ladakh
Citation: 2026 LiveLaw (298)