In a letter addressed to Justice Tashi Rabstan, Chief Justice of the Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court, the Ministry of Law and Justice announced an increase in the high court's sanctioned judge strength from 17 to 25.

In his communication Law Minister Arjun Meghwal wrote,

“The Judge strength of the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh has been reviewed and in consultation with the Chief Justice of India, it has been decided to increase the Judge Strength of the High Court from 17 to 25 Judges, with 19 Permanent Judges and 06 Additional Judges”

The revised composition now includes 19 permanent judges and 6 additional judges. The Ministry also outlined a structured approach to filling these additional positions. According to the letter, 66% of the posts will be allocated to members of the Bar, while 33% will be reserved for candidates from the Service.

Additionally, the Ministry has requested the Chief Justice to expedite the proposals for filling the newly sanctioned judge positions. It has also urged the high court to consider candidates from Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes, Minorities, and Women. 

This increase in the sanctioned judge strength was approved after consultations with the Chief Justice of India and came into effect on October 25, 2024.