Justice Arun Palli Sworn In As New Chief Justice Of Jammu & Kashmir And Ladakh HC

The Central government on Saturday approved the appointment of Justice Arun Palli, a senior judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, as the new Chief Justice of the Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court.

The appointment comes just days after the retirement of Chief Justice Tashi Rabstan on April 9. Since then, Justice Sanjeev Kumar has been serving as the acting Chief Justice.

Recommendation By Collegium

The Supreme Court Collegium had recommended Justice Palli’s elevation on April 4, ahead of the vacancy created by Justice Rabstan’s retirement. The government formally cleared the appointment this weekend.

Legal Journey

Born on September 18, 1964, Justice Arun Palli comes from a family deeply rooted in the legal field — his father, also a Senior Advocate, later served as a judge of the Himachal Pradesh High Court.

Justice Palli completed his Commerce degree and later earned his law degree from Panjab University, Chandigarh, in 1988. He began his legal practice at the Punjab and Haryana High Court, where he gained recognition for his legal acumen.

In September 2004, he was appointed as the Additional Advocate General for Punjab, a position he held until March 2007. He was later designated as a Senior Advocate in April 2007.

Justice Palli has argued several significant cases before the Supreme Court, Delhi High Court, and Himachal Pradesh High Court, further establishing his legal credentials at the national level.

Judicial & Administrative Roles

He was elevated to the Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court on December 28, 2013, and has served in that capacity for over a decade.

In addition to his judicial responsibilities, Justice Palli has taken on key administrative roles. He has been serving as the Executive Chairman of the Haryana State Legal Services Authority since May 31, 2023. He was also nominated as a Member of the Governing Body of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) on October 31, 2023, for a two-year term.

With this new appointment, Justice Arun Palli brings decades of legal experience and administrative expertise to his role as Chief Justice of the Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court. His leadership is expected to further strengthen judicial delivery and uphold constitutional values in the region.