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By an Official Order notified on Friday, the High Court of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and Union Territory of Ladakh has been renamed as the "High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh".

The President of India, Ram Nath Kovind  in exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) of section 103 of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act has effected this change.

The Notification of the Ministry of Law and Justice says that the change has been made to simplify the nomenclature as the earlier title was "long and cumbersome".

"the present nomenclature is found to be rather long-winding and cumbersome, the said nomenclature, may be substituted as High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, which besides being convenient would also be in consonance with the name pattern followed in other common High Courts, namely, Punjab and Haryana High Court, which has jurisdiction over the States of Punjab and Haryana and the Union Territory of Chandigarh"

Clause (a) of sub-section (1) of section 75 of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019 had  declared that the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir shall be the Common High Court for the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and Union Territory of Ladakh.

Thereafter views on the proposal was sought from the Lieutenant Governor of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, the Lieutenant Governor of Union Territory of Ladakh and the Chief Justice of the Common High Court for the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and Union Territory of Ladakh.

The Lieutenant Governor of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir vide letter dated the 27th October, 2020 and the Lieutenant Governor of Union Territory of Ladakh vide letter dated the 20th October, 2020  conveyed their agreement to the proposed change in the name of the High Court.

Thereafter the then Chief Justice of the common High Court for the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and Union Territory of Ladakh vide letter dated the 21st November, 2020 also conveyed her no objection to the proposed name.

The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019  was enacted to provide for reorganisation of existing State of Jammu and Kashmir into the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and the Union Territory of Ladakh.