Lok Sabha Question No. 2250 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-01
Subject: Court Infrastructure in Ladakh
Ministry: LAW AND JUSTICE
Asked by: Shri Mohmad Haneefa

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF LAW AND JUSTICE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2250 TO BE ANSWERED ON FRIDAY, THE 01 st  AUGUST, 2025

## Court Infrastructure in Ladakh

2250. Shri Mohmad Haneefa:

Will the Minister of LAW AND JUSTICE be pleased to state:

(a)  whether  the  Government  is  aware  of  the  lack  of  district  court  infrastructure  in  remote  subdivisions of Ladakh;

(b)  if  so,  the  steps  being  taken/proposed  to  be  taken  by  the  Government  to  upgrade  legal Infrastructure in the UT of Ladakh;

(c) whether it is a fact that more than 30 per cent of the sanctioned judicial posts are lying vacant, leading to an acute shortage of full-time judicial officers in remote areas of Ladakh;

(d) if so, the details thereof and the steps being taken by the Government to fill up these vacancies in a time-bound manner;

(e) whether the Government is considering to set up mobile courts or regular Lok Adalats in farflung areas of Ladakh to ensure timely access to justice; and

(f) whether legal aid services, women helpline desks and child welfare courts have been adequately institutionalised under the NALSA framework in Ladakh?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF LAW AND JUSTICE; AND MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS

## (SHRI ARJUN RAM MEGHWAL)

(a) & (b): The Government of India has been implementing a Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) for Development of Judicial Infrastructure since 1993-94 to augment the resources of the States/UTs.  The  CSS  covers  construction  of  court  halls,  residential  units,  lawyers'  halls,  toilet complexes and digital computer rooms.

As per information provided by the Ladakh Administration, there are 10 sub-divisions in the UT  of  Ladakh.  Court  infrastructure  is  available  in  05  sub-divisions  namely  Zanskar,  Sankoo, Khaltsi, Nubra and Drass. A sum of Rs.8.33 Crore has been released to UT of Ladakh under the CSS during last five years. In addition, for the financial year 2025-26, a sum of Rs. 2.00 crore has been earmarked under the CSS for UTs without legislature. The sanctioned and working/posted strengths of judicial officers in Ladakh are 17 and 10 respectively. Presently 11 court halls and 04

residential units are available in Ladakh. However, 04 court halls and 02 residential units are under construction.

(c) & (d): As per the Constitutional mandate, in exercise of powers conferred under proviso to Article 309 read with Articles 233 and 234 of the Constitution, the respective State Government / UT  Administration,  in  consultation  with  their  respective  High  Courts,  frame  the  rules  and regulations regarding the appointment and recruitment of judicial officers. The Supreme Court, vide order passed in January, 2007 in the Malik Mazhar Sultan case has, inter-alia, stipulated certain timelines which are to be followed by the States/UTs and the respective High Courts for recruitment of judges in the district and subordinate courts.

(e) & (f): Lok Adalat is organised across the country as per the provisions of the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 read with National Legal Services Authority (Lok Adalats) Regulations, 2009 for the subject matters as prescribed under the said Act and Regulations in the Courts as defined under Section 2 (1) (aaa) of the said Act. Every year, NALSA issues calendar for organising National Lok Adalats. The State Lok Adalats are organised by State Legal Services Authorities as per the local conditions and needs. Four National Lok Adalats are held in one calendar year. The details of the number of cases settled by National Lok Adalat and State Lok Adalat in Ladakh during the last three years are as under:

## (i) National Lok Adalat:

| Year   |   Pre-litigative cases |   Pending cases |   Total cases |
|--------|------------------------|-----------------|---------------|
| 2022   |                    416 |            1028 |          1444 |
| 2023   |                    383 |            1398 |          1781 |
| 2024   |                    523 |            1627 |          2150 |
| Total  |                   1322 |            4053 |          5375 |

## (ii) State Lok Adalat:

| Year    |   Pre-litigative cases |   Pending cases |   Total cases |
|---------|------------------------|-----------------|---------------|
| 2022-23 |                      7 |             233 |           240 |
| 2023-24 |                      0 |               0 |             0 |
| 2024-25 |                      0 |               0 |             0 |
| Total   |                      7 |             233 |           240 |

The National Legal Services Authority (Legal Services Clinics) Regulations, 2011 provide for eligibility criteria for free legal services in the legal services clinic, selection of lawyers for manning the clinics, functions of para-legal volunteers in the clinic, etc. In September 2023, Legal Aid Clinic in Tangtse, a remote village in Leh district was established. This clinic is part of the Ladakh  Legal  Services  Authority  (LLSA)  framework  and  staffed  with  Para-Legal  Volunteers (PLVs) to provide legal support locally. The LLSA has established multiple Legal Aid Clinics across

Leh and Kargil districts. The Ladakh Administration has informed that they have established Special Mobile Magistrate Courts in both the districts of Leh and Kargil for timely access to justice. In addition,  NALSA  introduced  the  National  toll  free  legal  aid  helpline  number  15100  on  IVRS technology in August 2024, which connects Indian Citizens (including Ladakh) with legal advice and referral services. The details of persons benefited in Ladakh through Legal aid and advice under various activities/programmes undertaken by LLSA during the last three years are as under:

| Year    |   Women |   Children |   Others |   Total |
|---------|---------|------------|----------|---------|
| 2022-23 |     180 |         12 |      519 |     711 |
| 2023-24 |     105 |          3 |      397 |     505 |
| 2024-25 |     192 |          9 |      123 |     324 |
| Total   |     477 |         24 |     1039 |    1540 |

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