The High Court of Jammu Kashmir and Ladakh has refused to revive a public interest litigation (PIL) that sought recruitment to gazetted posts in the Union Territory of Ladakh. The court noted that the administration has established the necessary statutory framework and initiated the hiring process through the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), thereby substantially addressing the petitioners’ grievances.
The Chenab Times has learned that the order was passed on July 6, 2026, by a Division Bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Sanjeev Kumar and Justice Mohd Yousuf Wani. The application for the revival of the PIL was filed by a group identifying themselves as Gazetted Aspirants, Residents of Ladakh, represented by senior advocate Kachroo Manzoor Ali Khan and advocate Aga Syed Hadi. The Union Territory of Ladakh was represented by Deputy Solicitor General of India T.M. Shamsi and advocate Rehana Qayoom.
The PIL originated in 2024 when the High Court took suo motu cognizance of a letter received via social media. The letter highlighted that recruitment to gazetted posts in Ladakh had not been conducted for approximately five years following the creation of the Union Territory in 2019. In response, the court registered WP(C) PIL No. 5/2024 to investigate the reasons for the prolonged vacancies and the lack of recruitment opportunities for eligible candidates.
Following a review of the Ladakh Administration’s response, the High Court had initially disposed of the PIL on December 30, 2024. At that time, the court acknowledged that the authorities were actively addressing the concerns raised but granted the petitioners the liberty to seek revival of the case if their grievances remained unresolved.
The petitioners later filed an application seeking the restoration of the PIL, contending that the Administration had not made adequate progress. To ascertain the current status, the Bench requested fresh instructions from the Administration.
In a status report submitted on April 23, 2026, the Ladakh Administration informed the court that the issues highlighted in the PIL had been fully redressed. The administration stated that the Union Territory had successfully established the required statutory and regulatory framework governing gazetted recruitment and had commenced the selection process through the UPSC. The report further indicated that recruitment to gazetted posts was at various stages within the UPSC, with appointments expected to be made based on the Commission’s recommendations in accordance with the law.
Accepting the submissions made by the Ladakh Administration, the Bench concluded that there was no sufficient justification for reviving the PIL. The court stated, “In view of the aforesaid reply/status report submitted by the respondent, we do not see any good reason or justification to revive the Public Interest Litigation.” Consequently, the court closed the proceedings and disposed of the revival application, allowing the ongoing UPSC recruitment process to proceed without further judicial intervention.
This decision marks a significant development for thousands of aspirants in Ladakh who have been awaiting regular recruitment to gazetted services since the formation of the Union Territory in August 2019. The court’s ruling affirms the administration’s efforts to establish a functional recruitment mechanism and brings a close to the prolonged legal challenge.
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