New nomenclature for J&K High Court

Jammu and kashmir Polity and Governance

The “long-winding and cumbersome” nomenclature “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”.
President Ram Nath Kovind has signed the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Removal of Difficulties) Order, 2021, to effect the change. The order was notified by the Department of Justice in the Law Ministry.
It observed that the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, was enacted to provide for the reorganisation of the state of Jammu and Kashmir into the union territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.
The order says the Act 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”.
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.