JAMMU, Mar 11: President, Droupadi Murmu today issued warrants of appointments of three Judges of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh as Permanent Judges and a formal notification in this regard was also issued by the Union Law Ministry.
The formal notification bearing number F.No.K.13021/04/2024-US.11 dated March 10,2025 , which was issued by Jaganrjith Nrinivasan, Joint Secretary with Ministry of Law & Justice, says, “In exercise of the power conferred by clause (1) of Article 217 of the Constitution of India, the President is pleased to appoint Justices Wasim Sadiq Nargal, Rajesh Sekhri and Mohd. Yousuf Wani, Additional Judges of High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh to be Judges of that High Court with effect from the date they assume charge of their respective offices”.
Earlier on March 7, this year, the SC collegium had approved the proposal for appointment of three Additional Judges of the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh as Permanent Judges.
“J&K High Court Justice Tashi Rabstan will administer oath of office to the newly appointed Permanent Judges next week. The venue and timing will be decided after Raj Bhawan sends officially warrants of appointments to the office of Chief Justice”, reliable sources said.
At present, High Court of J&K and Ladakh has a sanctioned strength of 25 Judges. However, after appointment of three new Permanent Judge, the existing strength will reach 15 and there is still scope of appointment of 10 more Judges.
In a related development, Union Law Ministry today also issued notification for appointment of Justice Joymalya Bagchi, Judge Calcutta High Court to the Supreme Court. The elevation of Justice Bagchi also addresses the underrepresentation of the Calcutta High Court in the Supreme Court. Currently, Justice Dipankar Datta is the sole representative from Calcutta.
Source also pointed out that the J&K HC Collegium has also recommended names of two senior Judicial Officers for appointment as Judges. “Names of Shahzad Azeem, Registrar General and Sanjay Parihar, Member J&K Special Tribunal have been recommended to the Union Law Ministry with a copy to the SC Collegium”, they added.
Justice Nargal was designated as a Senior Advocate by J&K High Court on 03.12.2020 and formerly served as Senior Additional Advocate General of the J&K Home Department. He holds the distinction of serving as the Standing Counsel for various departments of Government of India as well as the J&K Government, Public Sector Undertakings, Banks, Universities in addition to his own private practice, spanning over an illustrious legal practice of 31 years.
Furthermore, he has remained as a Senior Counsel for Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, Union Public Service Commission, Food Corporation of India, J&K Public Service Commission, Service Selection Board, Sales Tax & Exercise Department, JK IMPA, General Administration Department and State Pollution Control Board.
He was recommended for elevation as a Judge of the High Court by J&K High Court Collegium and appointed as Additional Judge of the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh vide notification dated June 1, 2022 and took oath of office on June 3, 2022.
Justice Rajesh Sekhri passed Kashmir Civil Services (Judicial) examination and joined as Munsiff in the year 1995. He was promoted as Sub Judge in 1998 and served as Chief Judicial Magistrate, Rajouri and Kargil. He was promoted as District and Sessions Judge in 2008 and served as Special Judge, TADA/POTA Court, Srinagar and Additional District and Sessions Judge, Anantnag and Jammu and Principal District and Sessions Judge, Reasi, Ramban and Baramulla.
He also served as Special Judge, Anti Corruption, CBI Cases, Jammu and Judicial Member, J&K Special Tribunal Jammu, from where, he was elevated as Additional Judge of High Court of J&K and Ladakh and took oath on 29.07.2022.
Justice Mohd Yousuf Wani was enrolled as Advocate with the Bar Council of J&K in the year 1990 and started practicing as an Advocate in the different courts at Anantnag. He was appointed as Munsiff in December 1997, pursuant to his selection by the J&K Public Service Commission upon qualifying his KCS (Judicial) Examination. He was promoted as Sub Judge in 2000 and as District & Sessions Judge in 2008.
He was appointed as an Additional Judge of the High Court of J&K and Ladakh on March 21, 2024 and assumed the charge of his office upon being administered the oath of his office on March 25, 2024.
