A short but important hearing unfolded on Monday at the Jammu wing of the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, where a public interest plea moved by the Jammu Kashmir Action Committee came up before the Chief Justice-led bench. The matter did not travel far on merits, but the court formally set the stage for the Union Territory’s response, signalling that the issue will now be examined in detail.
Background
The petition, filed as a Public Interest Litigation (PIL), has been instituted by the Jammu Kashmir Action Committee through its president Gurdev Singh. The case is registered as WP(C)PIL No. 12/2025. Advocate Siddant Gupta appeared for the petitioner, while the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir was represented by Senior Additional Advocate General Monika Kohli.
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At an earlier hearing on November 24, the court had already granted time to the respondents to seek instructions and, if needed, place a response on record. Monday’s hearing was essentially a follow-up to that direction.
Court’s Observations
When the matter was taken up, Ms. Kohli informed the court that the respondents were prepared to proceed formally and requested that a notice be issued in the case. She submitted that this would allow the UT administration to file a detailed reply addressing the issues raised in the PIL.
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The bench appeared agreeable to this course. “Let a formal notice be issued so that a detailed response is filed,” the court noted, making it clear that it wanted the government’s stand properly documented before moving ahead.
Ms. Kohli accepted notice on behalf of the respondents across the bar and sought a short accommodation to place the response on record. The judges did not record any adverse comment at this stage, keeping the focus limited to procedural compliance rather than substantive arguments.
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Decision
Issuing notice in the PIL, the High Court granted time to the Union Territory to file its response and adjourned the matter to February 10, 2026. The order was passed by Chief Justice Arun Palli and Justice Rajnesh Oswal at Jammu on December 22, 2025.
Case Title: Jammu Kashmir Action Committee through President Gurdev Singh vs Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir & Anr.
Case No.: WP(C) PIL No. 12/2025
Case Type: Public Interest Litigation (PIL)
Decision Date: December 22, 2025