Neeraj Rohmetra
JAMMU, Mar 24: Union Law Ministry today issued the formal notification for appointment of two Additional Judges of the common High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh after President, Ram Nath Kovind signed their warrants of appointment.
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The formal notification issued by Rajinder Kashyap, Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Law and Justice says, “in exercise of the powers conferred by clause (1) of Article 224 of the Constitution of India, the President is pleased to appoint Rahul Bharti and Moksha Khajuria Kazmi to be Additional Judges of the High Court for a period of two years, with effect from the date they assume charge of their respective offices”.
“Oath ceremony of the two Additional High Court Judges is likely to take place within next few days after consultations between the office of Lieutenant Governor and the High Court”, official sources said.
Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh High Court has sanctioned strength of 17 including 13 Permanent Judges and four Additional Judges.
“Since all the 13 posts of Permanent Judges (including Chief Justice) in the High Court are already full, Rahul Bharti and Moksha Khajuria Kazmi have been appointed as Additional Judges and will be made Permanent Judges in due course as and when vacancy is available”, sources said adding, “one of the posts is likely to become vacant after retirement of a senior Judge in December this year”.
It is pertinent to mention here that the Supreme Court collegium headed by Chief Justice S A Bobde in a meeting held on March 2, 2021 had approved the proposal for elevation of Advocate Rahul Bharti as Judge two years after the State High Court had send its recommendations.
Advocate Rahul Bharti, who joined Bar in February 1991, has now standing of more than 28 years at the Bar and has been conducting cases on original, civil as well as criminal side, and also on the appellate and writ jurisdiction side. He had conducted and handled litigation of varied nature such as Industrial, Labour, Consumer, Cooperative, Revenue, Motor Accidents Claims, Banking, Taxation (excluding Income Tax), Arbitration & Service matters. He was designated as Senior Advocate of J&K High Court on December 15, 2020.
In October, 2019, the Supreme Court collegium headed by the then Chief Justice of India, Justice Ranjan Gogoi had recommended name of Moksha Kazmi (Khajuria) for appointment as Judge of J&K High Court.
Moksha Kazmi had practiced law in Jammu wing of High Court from 1996 – 99 and subsequently continued her practice at Srinagar wing. She is presently Standing Counsel for Medical Council of India, J&K Sports Council, Islamic University of Science & Technology and Myasa Network Solutions. She had earlier served as Assistant Advocate General (2002-2004) and then as Additional Advocate General (Feb 2016 – Nov 2017).
She had also been rewarded as best advocate in the year 1998 by Kashmir Law General and was imparted training by the Supreme Court as Mediator for conducting Mediation proceedings. She was designated as Senior Advocate on December 3,2020.
Presently, the High Court has 13 Permanent Judges including Chief Justice Pankaj Mithal. Other Judges include Justice Ali Mohammad Magrey, Justice Dhiraj Singh Thakur, Justice Tashi Rabstan, Justice Sanjeev Kumar Shukla, Justice Sindhu Sharma, Justice Rajnesh Oswal, Justice Vinod Chatterji Koul, Justice Sanjay Dhar, Justice Puneet Gupta, Justice Javed Iqbal Wani, Justice Mohan Lal and Justice Mohd Akram Chowdhary.
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