SC Collegium: Recommends 9 Judges for J&K Ladakh High Court

• The Supreme Court Collegium has recommended nine lawyers for appointment as judges to the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.
• Advocate Tabasum Zafar is among the recommended, and if appointed, she would be the first Kashmiri woman judge of the High Court.
• Namgyal Wangchuk, an advocate from Ladakh, is also recommended, providing representation to the Union Territory.
• The Supreme Court Collegium approved only nine of the ten advocates initially proposed by the High Court Collegium.
• Senior Advocate Jahangir Iqbal Ganai, a former Advocate General, was not included in the final list, with no reason provided by the Collegium.

Should her elevation be formally confirmed, she would achieve the distinction of becoming the first Kashmiri woman lawyer to be appointed as a judge to the High Court.

The Supreme Court Collegium recently put forward the names of nine legal professionals for elevation to the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh. This significant decision, made during a Collegium meeting held on a Thursday, October 29, includes one woman among the recommended individuals. The list of prospective judges features Vishal Sharma, Vikram Kumar Sharma, Namgyal Wangchuk, Pawan Kumar Kundal, Tahir Majid Shamsi, Tabasum Zafar, Amit Gupta, Pranav Kohli, and Anupam Raina. These recommendations mark a crucial step in filling judicial vacancies and strengthening the High Court's bench.

Among the nine individuals proposed, advocate Namgyal Wangchuk stands out as a representative from Ladakh. His potential appointment ensures that the Union Territory of Ladakh gains representation within the judicial structure of the High Court, reflecting the diverse geographical and demographic composition of the region. This inclusion is particularly notable given the recent administrative changes in the erstwhile state.

The Supreme Court Collegium's recent recommendations followed an earlier process initiated by the High Court Collegium. In April 2026, the High Court Collegium, then led by Chief Justice Arun Palli, had initially proposed eleven names for elevation. This prior list comprised ten advocates put forward under the Bar quota and one judicial officer under the bench quota, indicating a comprehensive review at the local level.

However, the Supreme Court Collegium ultimately endorsed only nine of the ten advocates originally recommended under the Bar quota. A significant omission from the final approved list is Senior Advocate Jahangir Iqbal Ganai. Mr. Ganai previously served as the Advocate General for Jammu & Kashmir from June 2016 to July 2018. The Supreme Court Collegium did not provide any explanation for its decision to exclude his name from the appointments, leaving the reasons for this particular omission undisclosed. This lack of transparency in the selection process has been a recurring point of discussion regarding the Collegium's functioning.

The proposed appointment of advocate Tabasum Zafar carries considerable historical weight. Should her elevation be formally confirmed, she would achieve the distinction of becoming the first Kashmiri woman lawyer to be appointed as a judge to the High Court. This milestone underscores a progressive step towards greater gender diversity and representation within the judiciary of the region, potentially inspiring future generations of women in the legal profession.

The inclusion of Namgyal Wangchuk from Ladakh also signifies a broader commitment to ensuring regional representation on the bench. These appointments collectively aim to bring varied perspectives and experiences to the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, which serves a vast and diverse population. The composition of the bench is critical for ensuring justice delivery that is sensitive to the unique socio-legal landscape of the Union Territories.

Lawyers practicing before the J&K and Ladakh High Court should familiarize themselves with the backgrounds of the newly recommended judges, as their appointment will alter the court's composition and may influence judicial approaches. The unexplained omission of a former Advocate General from the list also highlights the opaque nature of Collegium decisions, which can impact future judicial career paths.

Source: Original reporting via legal news source