CJI inaugurates Ladakh bench, says it brings justice to the people

CJI Surya Kant inaugurated the new Ladakh bench of the J&K and Ladakh High Court in Leh. He said it's a first step, with technology and legal aid to be used to bring the justice system to people in remote villages who face travel difficulties.

Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant on Sunday inaugurated the Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court's newly constituted Ladakh bench in Leh.

Addressing the gathering, CJI Kant said that the new bench is only the start of the work of reaching people in far-flung villages and that technology and legal aid must carry the court to them. The bench serves Leh, Kargil and the rest of Ladakh. He said the bench would bring access to justice closer to the people of the region. "This bench for Kargil, Leh, and all the other parts of Ladakh is access to justice for them. This High Court bench now brings the principle of justice to you." He said this was his second visit to Ladakh, and that it was a very historic day for him.

The CJI said many villages are far from Leh and poorly connected, and that snowfall and cold make travel harder still, so people may struggle to reach the court.

Technology and Legal Aid: The Path Forward

He proposed two remedies: technology and legal aid. "There are only two ways to do it: one is technology, and the other is legal," he said. He suggested setting up e-seva centres in villages so people can file cases, track dates and orders, and submit documents or evidence without travelling to Leh. "Your village is maybe fifty, seventy, or a hundred kilometers away from here. If an E-seva center is set up there so people can file a case... it will bring the court to the people through technology," he said.

Expanding the Meaning of Legal Aid

The CJI said legal aid should not be understood as only a free lawyer but a way to make people aware of their rights. "Who don't even know what their rights and privileges are, it's very important to take advantage of legal aid to inform them. Legal aid doesn't just mean getting a free lawyer; it means making people aware of their rights. People should know what their rights are in any court, as well as the policies of the Indian government and your Union Territory government that entitle them to certain benefits. If you don't even know about those benefits, or if you find out but don't know how to claim them, the solution to all of this lies in legal aid,” CJI Kant said.

A 'First Step' with Full Support

Calling the bench a first step, he said, "This is just the beginning of a justice system, not the end. We need to make such good use of technology and legal aid that even someone sitting in a remote part of Ladakh feels the legal system has recognized their rights and actually secured them." He said the High Court would need to work through legal and paralegal volunteers and legal aid councils.

On funding, he said, "Whatever steps they need to take, we won't let you fall short financially. Through the National Legal Services Authority committee and the Supreme Court's system, we'll make sure you get whatever facilities are available from there."

Educating the Youth on Civil Rights

He also asked the UT administration's Education Department to teach civil rights in schools across Ladakh, so that people know when a right has been denied and can use the justice system built there. “Across all the schools in the Ladakh region, basic, constitutional, and civil rights should be taught as part of the education system. This way, people will learn about these rights and understand them. Then, if they ever feel they've been denied or deprived of a right, they can take advantage of the strong justice system and infrastructure we've built here," he said.

The CJI noted that the court stands at about 3,500 metres above sea level, but said height was not what mattered. "The important thing is the purpose of setting up a bench of this High Court here... how much we can actually fulfill the expectations of those who appeal for justice from the remote villages of Ladakh," he said.

A Rich History of Justice

He rejected the idea that Ladakh is a backward region, saying it has its own long tradition of settling disputes. "You have a great historical tradition here... I feel like justice is in your blood," he emphasised. CJI Kant said communities have long resolved disputes through customary rules and shared scarce water through their own system, in which a village-appointed water distributor, the churpon, is nominated to share water among villagers. "You've also set up a system where you can decide and figure out for yourselves who gets the water and when."

Tracing the region's judicial history, he said a special court was set up in Ladakh in 1870 to settle disputes among merchants, as the area was then a centre of trade. "That special court couldn't function for the entire year... if it snowed during the winter, then all the passes would get closed. And when the routes were closed, the doors of that court would also be closed," he said.

The CJI said people with family disputes, such as child custody cases, had to travel to Srinagar or Jammu. After Ladakh became a Union Territory in 2019, he said, a change of letterhead to "Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh" did not give people the benefit of a High Court nearby. "Just changing the letterhead to Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh didn't give the people of Ladakh the High Court benefit that you've received today in a historic way," he said.

The CJI thanked the Government of India, the Lieutenant Governor and the Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh High Court.

An Appeal for a Greener Ladakh

He also appealed to residents to plant trees and said every family should adopt at least one tree per member. "If there are five people in your family, make a promise to plant at least five trees... If we have more greenery and plant trees, I'm absolutely sure your water problems will be solved too."

He said greenery could also improve incomes and bring small industries to the region. (ANI)

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