J&K and Ladakh High Court reconstitutes Commercial Division Benches
Synopsis
The High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh has reshuffled its Commercial Division and Commercial Appellate Division Benches across both Srinagar and Jammu wings, naming eight judges in total. The orders, approved by the Acting Chief Justice, supersede earlier compositions from 2024 and take immediate effect — keeping the court's commercial dispute machinery current.
Key Takeaways
The High Court of J&K and Ladakh reconstituted its Commercial Division Benches on 15 July for both Srinagar and Jammu wings.
Srinagar Wing Commercial Division : Justice Moksha Khajuria Kazmi and Justice Shahzad Azeem .
Jammu Wing Commercial Division : Justice Rajesh Sekhri and Justice Sanjay Parihar .
The Commercial Appellate Division was also reconstituted: Justice Sindhu Sharma and Justice Sanjay Dhar (Srinagar); Justice Rajnesh Oswal and Justice Mohd Akram Chowdhary (Jammu).
Both orders supersede earlier 2024 compositions and were approved by the Acting Chief Justice .
The benches cover all commercial disputes and arbitration proceedings on the original side of the High Court across J&K and Ladakh .
The High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh on Wednesday, 15 July reconstituted its Commercial Division Benches for both the Srinagar and Jammu wings, empowering them to hear and decide commercial disputes — including arbitration proceedings — under the Commercial Courts Act, 2015. The move supersedes an earlier bench composition order and takes effect immediately until further notice.
New Bench Composition
According to the order issued by Registrar General M.K. Sharma with the approval of the Acting Chief Justice, the Srinagar Wing Commercial Division will now comprise Justice Moksha Khajuria Kazmi and Justice Shahzad Azeem. The Jammu Wing Commercial Division will consist of Justice Rajesh Sekhri and Justice Sanjay Parihar.
The reconstitution supersedes HC Order No. 1449 of 2024/RG dated 25 September 2024 and will remain in force until further orders are issued.
Scope of Jurisdiction
The reconstituted Commercial Division Benches are mandated to hear and dispose of all suits and applications relating to commercial disputes — including arbitration proceedings involving commercial matters — filed or pending on the original side of the High Court. This covers the full territorial spread of both Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.
Commercial Appellate Division Also Reconstituted
In a separate but concurrent order, the High Court also reconstituted the Commercial Appellate Division under Section 5 of the Commercial Courts Act. The Srinagar Wing Commercial Appellate Division will comprise Justice Sindhu Sharma and Justice Sanjay Dhar, while the Jammu Wing will consist of Justice Rajnesh Oswal and Justice Mohd Akram Chowdhary.
This order supersedes the related bench order dated 9 May 2024 and was also authorised by the Acting Chief Justice. Both reconstitutions remain in force until further orders.
About the High Court
The High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh holds territorial and appellate jurisdiction over the entire Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh. It functions as one indivisible court with two permanent sittings — the Srinagar Wing, operational during summer, and the Jammu Wing, operational during winter. The reconstitution ensures continuity in the resolution of commercial and arbitration matters across both wings.
The revised bench compositions signal the court's ongoing effort to keep commercial dispute resolution current and administratively efficient as caseloads evolve.
Point of View
But they carry real administrative weight — particularly in J&K and Ladakh, where the commercial dispute pipeline includes a growing volume of arbitration cases tied to infrastructure and real-estate activity in the Union Territories. Superseding two separate 2024 orders within a single day suggests the Acting Chief Justice is moving to align bench capacity with current docket demands. The real question is whether the reconstituted benches will accelerate disposal rates in a jurisdiction where commercial litigation has historically been slower than the national average.
NationPress
15 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did the J&K and Ladakh High Court reconstitute its Commercial Division Benches?
The High Court reconstituted the Commercial Division Benches to update the judicial composition handling commercial disputes and arbitration proceedings under the Commercial Courts Act, 2015. The new orders, approved by the Acting Chief Justice, supersede earlier compositions from 2024 and take effect immediately.
Which judges now form the Srinagar Wing Commercial Division?
The Srinagar Wing Commercial Division now comprises Justice Moksha Khajuria Kazmi and Justice Shahzad Azeem, as per the order issued on 15 July.
Which judges now form the Jammu Wing Commercial Division?
The Jammu Wing Commercial Division consists of Justice Rajesh Sekhri and Justice Sanjay Parihar, effective from the 15 July order.
What is the Commercial Appellate Division and who comprises it now?
The Commercial Appellate Division hears appeals in commercial matters under Section 5 of the Commercial Courts Act, 2015. It has been reconstituted with Justice Sindhu Sharma and Justice Sanjay Dhar for the Srinagar Wing, and Justice Rajnesh Oswal and Justice Mohd Akram Chowdhary for the Jammu Wing.
What types of cases do these benches handle?
The reconstituted Commercial Division Benches hear and dispose of all suits and applications relating to commercial disputes, including arbitration proceedings involving commercial matters, filed or pending on the original side of the High Court across J&K and Ladakh.
