Jammu: The Supreme Court Collegium has recommended nine advocates for appointment as judges of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, marking a significant step towards filling vacancies in the High Court.
The decision was taken at a meeting of the Supreme Court Collegium on October 29, 2026, according to an official statement.
The advocates recommended for appointment are Vishal Sharma, Vikram Kumar Sharma, Namgyal Wangchuk, Pawan Kumar Kundal, Tahir Majid Shamsi, Tabasum Zafar, Amit Gupta, Pranav Kohli and Anupam Raina.
The recommendations follow an earlier exercise undertaken by the High Court Collegium, headed by then Chief Justice Arun Palli, which had recommended 11 names in April this year.
The list comprised 10 advocates from the Bar quota and a judicial officer from the Bench quota.
The Supreme Court Collegium has now approved nine advocates from the earlier list for further processing of their appointments.
Among the advocates recommended in April were Vishal Sharma, Assistant Solicitor General of India at Jammu; Tahir Majid Shamsi, Deputy Solicitor General of India at Srinagar; and Amit Gupta, a former Additional Advocate General. The list also included Tabasum Zafar, whose proposed elevation had drawn attention as a potential milestone for women’s representation in the High Court.
The High Court Collegium’s earlier recommendations were made following consultations on candidates’ suitability, professional standing and other considerations relevant to judicial appointments.
The recommendations assume significance in view of the existing vacancies in the High Court. Its sanctioned strength was increased from 17 to 25 judges in November 2024, comprising 19 permanent judges and six additional judges, to strengthen its capacity to deal with judicial work.
