CJI inaugurates Kargil Court Complex virtually
Leh, Mar 29: “Geographical distance must not become a barrier to justice delivery,” Chief Justice of India Justice Surya Kant said on Sunday while virtually inaugurating the newly constructed District Court Complex in Kargil, asserting that access to justice must remain uniform irrespective of terrain or remoteness.
The inauguration, conducted from Leh, was attended by Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena, Chief Justice of the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh Justice Arun Palli, and other judges of the High Court, alongside senior civil and security officials.
In his address, the Chief Justice described Kargil as emblematic of resilience, observing that regions marked by geographical challenges must not be left at the margins of the justice delivery system. He noted that the new court complex goes beyond an expansion of infrastructure, representing a qualitative improvement aimed at enhancing institutional efficiency and strengthening litigant confidence.
Proceedings began with the National Song and National Anthem, followed by the unveiling of a commemorative plaque. A detailed 3D presentation outlined the architectural design and facilities of the complex, including courtrooms, administrative offices and residential quarters.
Welcoming the dignitaries, Justice Arun Palli conveyed his appreciation for the continued engagement of the Supreme Court and expressed hope for sustained support in modernising judicial infrastructure across the Union Territory.
Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena, in his remarks, said that the inauguration, though held in virtual mode, underscored the administration’s commitment to ensuring accessible and effective justice. He assured full administrative cooperation to the judiciary and expressed the expectation that the Chief Justice would visit Ladakh in the near future.
Justice Mohd. Yousuf Wani, Administrative Judge for District Kargil, who attended the event from Kargil, delivered the vote of thanks. On behalf of the Chief Justice of India, he also presented a symbolic key of a chamber in the lawyers’ block to senior advocate Haji Ghulam Murtaza.
President of the Bar Association, Kargil, Advocate Riyaz Ahmed Khan, termed the inauguration the fulfilment of a long-standing demand and expressed confidence that the facility would bolster the district’s justice delivery framework.
Among those present were Dr Mohd Jaffer Akhoon, Chairman and Chief Executive Councillor of LAHDC, Kargil; Chief Secretary Ashish Kundra; Director General of Police Mukesh Kumar; Lieutenant General Hitesh Bhalla, General Officer Commanding of 14 Corps; senior judicial officers; members of the Bar; and officials from civil administration, police and prosecution departments.
The commissioning of the court complex is expected to ease long-standing logistical constraints in Kargil, where distance and terrain have often posed challenges to timely legal recourse, thereby strengthening the institutional reach of the judiciary in Ladakh.
