SC Collegium Recommends Appointment Of Chief Justices At 4 High Courts

The Supreme Court Collegium has recommended the appointment of Chief Justices at four High Courts. At the meeting held on August 31, the Collegium resolved to recommend Justice Sanjay K Agarwal, presently serving as a Judge of the Chhattisgarh High Court, as the Chief Justice of the Rajasthan High Court. The recommendation came amidst the controversy surrounding Rajasthan High Court Acting Chief Justice Sanjeev Prakash Sharma, against whom Supreme Court Judge Justice Sandeep Mehta...

'Internal Dispute, Not Amenable To Writ Jurisdiction': J&K&L High Court Dismisses Plea Challenging Bar Association Election Rules

The High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh has held that a dispute concerning the internal electoral governance of a Bar Association does not, merely because its members are advocates, acquire a public-law character, and has dismissed a plea challenging the enhancement of eligibility criteria for contesting elections to the District Bar Association, Shopian.Justice Wasim Sadiq Nargal...

Right To Regularization Under J&K Civil Services Act Accrues On Fulfillment Of Conditions, Not Date Of Formal Order: High Court

The High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh has settled the conflicting interpretations regarding the effective date of regularization under the J&K Civil Services (Special Provisions) Act, 2010.The Court held that ad hoc, contractual or consolidated appointees who completed seven years of service on the appointed day are entitled to regularization from the appointed day itself, and the process under Section 10 is merely procedural, not determinative of the effective date.The Full Bench...

Jammu & Kashmir And Ladakh High Court Weekly Roundup August 24 - August 30, 2026

Nominal Index:Sana Aftab v. Mohtashem Billah Malik 2026 LiveLaw (JKL) 357Abdul Hamid Bhat v. Abdul Rashid Bhat 2026 LiveLaw (JKL) 358Sheikh Ghulam Hassan v. Mohammad Amin Dar 2026 LiveLaw (JKL) 359Union Territory of J&K and Others v. Gulzar Ahmad Wagra 2026 LiveLaw (JKL) 360Habibullah Kumar v. UT of J&K 2026 LiveLaw (JKL) 361Sabeer Ahmed v. UT of Jammu & Kashmir & Ors 2026...

J&K&L High Court Questions Delay In SC/ST Act Probe, Says 'Quality Of Evidence' Matters More Than Number Of Witnesses

The High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh has observed that “it is not the number of witnesses that matters but the quality of the evidence”, while questioning the manner in which investigation into an FIR under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 was being conducted.Justice M.A. Chowdhary further observed that the unexplained delay in completing the investigation, nearly a year after registration of the FIR, suggests that the investigating...

Drugs & Cosmetics Act | Failure To Exercise Right To Re-Test Sample Within 28 Days Renders Drug Analysis Report Conclusive: J&K&L High Court

The High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh has dismissed petitions seeking quashing of criminal proceedings under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, holding that the manufacturer and other petitioners failed to exercise their statutory right under Section 25(3) of the Act within the prescribed period of 28 days.The Court observed that once the accused fails to express an intention to controvert the Government Analyst's report within the statutory period, the report attains finality and...

J&K&L High Court Warns Of Action Against Senior Govt Officials Over Non-Compliance With Orders On Illegal Constructions, Fire Safety

The High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh has warned that it may initiate appropriate coercive proceedings against the Commissioner, Jammu Municipal Corporation, Director, Fire and Emergency Services, Vice Chairman, Jammu Development Authority and Inspector General of Police (Traffic) if its directions concerning a comprehensive survey and enforcement action against defaulting establishments are not complied with.Justice Wasim Sadiq Nargal passed the order after noting that the affidavit...

J&K&L High Court To Hear Plea Seeking Crime Branch Probe Into Minor's Rape, Abortion & Death In Kishtwar

The High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh is on Monday hearing a writ petition seeking transfer of investigation into the alleged rape, pregnancy, attempted termination of pregnancy and subsequent death of a minor girl in Kishtwar from the local police to the Crime Branch, J&K, for a fair, impartial and independent probe.The petition has been filed by the father of the deceased...

"Six Months On, No Visible Progress": J&K&L High Court Revives PIL On ₹922 Crore Raika High Court Complex

The High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh has revived a Public Interest Litigation concerning the proposed Rs 922 crore High Court Complex at Raika, Jammu, after the petitioner pointed out that six months after an assurance of "substantial progress", there was neither construction nor even preparatory work visible on the ground. The Court directed the respondents to file a status...

Mens Rea Not Required In Departmental Proceedings; Unauthorised Act With Good Intentions Violates Service Rules: J&K&L High Court

The High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh has held that in departmental disciplinary proceedings, the presence of mens rea is not a prerequisite to prove misconduct of an employee. The Court added that an unauthorised act, even if committed with good intentions, is still a violation of the service rules, and the very act of acting beyond one's delegated authority by itself constitutes...

Criminal Appeal Need Not Be Deferred Merely Due To Appellant's 'Depressed Mood'; Counsel Can Represent Him: J&K&L High Court

The High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh has held that a criminal appeal cannot be deferred merely on the basis of a medical certificate showing that the appellant is suffering from “Adjustment Disorder with Depressed Mood”, particularly when the appellant is represented by counsel who can appear and argue the matter on his behalf.Justice Rahul Bharti observed that the...

Trap Witness May Be Treated As Interested Witness; Uncorroborated Testimony Can Only Be Relied On If Court Finds Him Truthful: J&K&L High Court

The High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh has acquitted an accused in a corruption case, holding that a trap witness or bribe giver may be treated as an interested witness, being a person interested in the success of the trap.The Court further held that while there is no absolute rule against relying upon the uncorroborated testimony of a trap witness, such evidence can be acted upon...