In a significant institutional effort to overhaul the judicial strength of the region, the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh Collegium has recommended 11 names for elevation to the High Court bench. This marks the first time in the court’s history that such a large number of appointments—comprising 10 advocates from the Bar and one judicial officer from the Bench—have been processed in a single exercise.
The recommendations aim to substantially fill the critical gap in the court’s sanctioned strength. Currently, the High Court is functioning with only 13 judges against a sanctioned capacity of 25. The 12 existing vacancies include 10 slots specifically designated for the Bar quota.
A Focus on Diversity and Regional Balance
Sources familiar with the development indicate that the selection process was a “carefully calibrated and comprehensive exercise.” While merit, integrity, and professional competence remained the primary benchmarks, the Collegium placed a strong emphasis on constitutional values regarding social and regional representation.
A key highlight of the recommendations is the focus on the Kashmir Bar, which legal observers note has been relatively underrepresented in the Bar quota in recent years. Furthermore, the list reflects a commitment to inclusivity by including candidates from the Buddhist community in Ladakh and the Kashmiri Pandit community.
The overall recommendations are also understood to account for social diversity by including representatives from Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) communities.
Historic Milestone for Women in the Judiciary
In what is being hailed as a milestone development, the Collegium has recommended Tabasum Zafar, a woman advocate from Kashmir. If the recommendation is cleared by the Union Government and the Supreme Court Collegium, she will become the first woman from the Kashmir region to serve as a judge on the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
The Recommended Candidates
The 10 names recommended from the Bar quota for appointment as judges are:
- Vishal Sharma
- Namgyal Wangchuk
- Jahangir Iqbal Ganai
- Pawan Kumar Kundal
- Tahir Majid Shamsi
- Tabasum Zafar
- Anupam Raina
- Vikram Kumar Sharma
- Amit Gupta
- Pranav Kohli
From the Bench quota, the Collegium has recommended Yash Paul Bourney, the senior-most judicial officer in the region. His recommendation is based on a distinguished service record, extensive judicial experience, and overall suitability for the higher judiciary.
