In a formal ceremony held on Wednesday, Justice Arun Palli was sworn in as the Chief Justice of the Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court. The oath was administered by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha.

This appointment follows the retirement of former Chief Justice Tashi Rabstan on April 9, after which Justice Sanjeev Kumar had been serving as the Acting Chief Justice. The Supreme Court Collegium had recommended Justice Palli's name shortly before Justice Rabstan's retirement, and the Central government officially approved the appointment on April 12, 2025.

Prior to this elevation, Justice Palli served as a judge at the Punjab and Haryana High Court. Born on September 18, 1964, he comes from a distinguished legal family, his father, Prem Kishan Palli, was a Senior Advocate and later a judge at the Himachal Pradesh High Court, retiring in 1998.

Justice Palli completed his commerce degree and obtained his law degree from Panjab University in 1988. He began his legal career at the Punjab and Haryana High Court and was appointed Additional Advocate General for Punjab from 2004 to 2007. Recognized for his expertise, he was designated as a Senior Advocate the same year.

He was appointed as a judge on December 28, 2013, and has since held key administrative roles, including serving as the Executive Chairman of the Haryana State Legal Services Authority since May 2023. Additionally, in October 2023, he became a member of the Governing Body of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) for a two-year term.