Ladakh Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena has been appointed to discharge the functions of the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir in addition to his existing duties during the absence of J&K LG Manoj Sinha.
According to a communique issued by the Rashtrapati Bhavan, President Droupadi Murmu has made the appointment for the period during which Sinha is on leave.
Sinha, who took charge as the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir on August 7, 2020, is currently in the United States on an official visit, according to official sources cited by PTI.
Saxena to administer oath to J&K High Court Chief Justice
Saxena is also scheduled to administer the oath of office to Justice Pushpendra Singh Bhati as the new Chief Justice of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh on September 9.
The oath-taking ceremony will be held at 11 am at the Convention Centre in Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, according to highly placed official sources.
Justice Pushpendra Singh Bhati appointed Chief Justice of J-K and Ladakh HC
President Murmu on September 5 appointed Justice Bhati, currently a judge of the Rajasthan High Court, as Chief Justice of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
His appointment will take effect from the date he assumes charge of the office. He will succeed Justice Sanjeev Kumar, who has been serving as the Acting Chief Justice of the high court since June 2.
Supreme Court Collegium recommended Bhati’s name
The Supreme Court Collegium had recommended Justice Bhati for the post of Chief Justice of the J&K and Ladakh High Court on August 31.
Justice Bhati is a senior judge with extensive judicial experience. He was elevated to the Rajasthan High Court on November 16, 2016.
With Sinha away on an official visit, Saxena will handle the functions of the Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor while continuing with his responsibilities as Ladakh LG.
Earlier this month, a regulation establishing a permanent bench of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh in the Union Territory of Ladakh came into effect, with LG Vinai Kumar Saxena describing the move as a “historic step” towards bringing the justice delivery system closer to the people of the Himalayan region.
The Union Territory of Ladakh (Sitting of Bench of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh in Ladakh) Regulation, 2026, promulgated by the President on August 27, provides for a dedicated High Court bench to sit within Ladakh.
According to an official notification, the regulation came into force on September 5, 2026, enabling the High Court bench to hold sittings directly in the Union Territory.
