The Supreme Court Collegium has approved a proposal to appoint three additional judges of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh as permanent judges..The judges who have been recommended for appointment as permanent judges are Justice Wasim Sadiq Nargal, Justice Rajesh Sekhri, and Justice Mohammad Yousuf Wani..Justice Wasim Sadiq Nargal holds the historic distinction of being the first Muslim judge from the Jammu region to serve in the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. He was recommended for judgeship by the High Court Collegium in August 2017, which was approved by the Supreme Court Collegium in April 2018. His appointment as an additional judge was officially notified on June 1, 2022. He was sworn into office on June 3, 2022.Prior to his elevation to the Bench, he was a Senior Advocate practicing before the High Court. He has earlier served as a Senior Additional Advocate General for the Jammu and Kashmir Home Department. He has also served as the standing counsel for various Central government departments, the Jammu and Kashmir government, Public Sector Undertakings, banks and universities..Justice Rajesh Sekhri took oath as an additional judge of the High Court on July 29, 2024. After securing his LLB from the Faculty of Law, University of Jammu in 1989, he entered judicial service as a Munsiff judge in 1995. He went on to serve as a Sub Judge and as the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Rajouri and Kargil, before he was promoted to the post of District and Sessions Judge in 2008. He went on to hold several judicial positions and was serving as a judicial member of the J&K Special Tribunal Jammu, when he was recommended for elevation to the High Court..Justice Mohammad Yousuf Wani commenced his legal career in 1990 and was appointed as Munsiff in December 1997. He was elevated to Sub Judge in 2000 and later to District & Sessions Judge in 2008. Over the years, he has served in key judicial roles, including as a Judicial Member of the J&K Special Tribunal in Srinagar. His appointment as an additional judge of the High Court was officially notified on March 21, 2024..The Supreme Court Collegium has recommended that all three additional judges now be made permanent judges of the High Court in its meeting held on March 5, 2025.Despite this development, the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh continues to grapple with a shortage of judges. The High Court has a sanctioned strength of 25 judges but is currently functioning with only 15 judges, leaving 10 posts vacant. The shortage of judges has been a persistent issue, affecting the timely disposal of cases and increasing the burden on the existing judges..[Read Collegium Statement]
