JAMMU: The government of Jammu and Kashmir has formally approached the administration of the Union Territory of Ladakh, asking it to contribute funds for the construction of a new High Court complex at Raika in Jammu. The move comes because the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir continues to serve as the common judiciary for both UTs following their bifurcation in 2019.
In a written reply to a question in the Legislative Assembly, the government said a proposal for the construction of the new High Court complex at Raika, Jammu, had been received from the High Court and technically vetted for Rs 921.79 crore by the Secretary Technical of the Public Works Department. While the full project is yet to begin, preliminary work for the fencing of the land has already been approved, with administrative sanction granted for barbed-wire fencing at an estimated cost of Rs 71.60 lakh. Of this, Rs 56 lakh has already been released to the High Court Registry for execution.
The government said it is currently funding the ongoing construction of a new High Court building at Bemina in Srinagar. Given that the High Court serves both Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, it has now been decided that Ladakh should also share the financial responsibility for the Raika project. In this regard, a formal request was made to the UT of Ladakh via a letter dated November 26, 2024, seeking financial participation in the upcoming infrastructure at Raika.
Union Law Secretary Arjun Singh Raju, who has previously spoken on the matter, has also emphasised that Ladakh must bear its part of the cost, as the High Court continues to function as a joint institution for both territories despite the division of assets and liabilities following the bifurcation of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir in 2019.
Meanwhile, the government also provided an update on the status of the District Court Complex at Maitra-Ramban, stating that the project remains under active consideration.
The demand for Ladakh’s financial contribution marks an important step in the post-bifurcation administrative alignment between the two Union Territories, especially regarding the upkeep and expansion of joint institutions.
