New Delhi, June 1 (IANS) The Centre on Monday issued a notification appointing Justice Sanjeev Kumar as the Acting Chief Justice of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, shortly after the elevation of incumbent Chief Justice Arun Palli to the Supreme Court was cleared.

“In exercise of the powers conferred by Article 223 of the Constitution of India, the President is pleased to appoint Shri Justice Sanjeev Kumar, Judge of the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, to perform the duties of the office of the Chief Justice of the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh consequent upon appointment of Shri Justice Arun Palli, Chief Justice of the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh as a Judge of the Supreme Court of India,” said a notification issued by the Union Ministry of Law and Justice.

Article 223 of the Constitution empowers the President to appoint any puisne judge as Acting Chief Justice when the office of the Chief Justice of a High Court falls vacant or when the Chief Justice is unable to discharge functions.

Earlier in the day, the Centre cleared the elevation of Justice Arun Palli, along with three other High Court Chief Justices and senior advocate V. Mohana, as judges of the Supreme Court, acting on the recommendation of the Supreme Court Collegium.

In a post on X, Union Minister for Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal announced that the President, after consultation with the Chief Justice of India (CJI), had appointed Justices Sheel Nagu, Shree Chandrashekhar, Sanjeev Sachdeva and Arun Palli, along with senior advocate V. Mohana, as judges of the Supreme Court.

Justice Arun Palli, whose parent High Court is the Punjab and Haryana High Court, had taken oath as the Chief Justice of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh in April 2025.

The Supreme Court Collegium had recommended his elevation to the apex court at its meetings held on May 22 and May 27.

Notably, Justice Sanjeev Kumar had earlier served as the Acting Chief Justice of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh in April 2025 before Justice Arun Palli assumed charge as the Chief Justice.

–IANS

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