Who Is Justice Arun Palli, Appointed as Chief Justice of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court?

New Delhi: The Central Government on Saturday appointed Justice Arun Palli as the new Chief Justice of the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, following the recommendation of the Supreme Court Collegium.

The Ministry of Law and Justice officially notified the appointment, while Union Minister of State for Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal shared the news on social media platform X.

“Exercising the powers vested by the Constitution of India, the President of India, following consultation with the Chief Justice of India, has appointed Justice Arun Palli, Judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, as the Chief Justice of the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, effective from the date he assumes office. I extend my best wishes to him,” Meghwal posted.

Justice Palli’s appointment came just days before the retirement of Chief Justice Tashi Rabstan, who demitted office on April 9. Following his retirement, Justice Sanjeev Kumar served as the acting Chief Justice from April 10.

Who Is Justice Arun Palli?

Born on September 18, 1964, Justice Arun Palli hails from a distinguished legal family in Patiala. His great-grandfather, Late Lachchman Dass Palli, and grandfather, Late Lajpat Rai Palli, were reputed members of the District Bar of Patiala. His father, Justice Prem Kishan Palli, was a Senior Advocate who later served on the Bench of the Himachal Pradesh High Court, retiring in 1998.

Justice Palli completed his early education in commerce and went on to earn his Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) from Panjab University, Chandigarh, in 1988.

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Professional Journey

Justice Palli began his legal practice at Punjab and Haryana High Court, gaining experience across civil, criminal, constitutional, revenue, industrial, and labour law.

He was appointed as Additional Advocate General for Punjab on September 1, 2004, and held the position until March 2007. Later, on April 26, 2007, he was designated as a Senior Advocate.

He also served as Amicus Curiae in several significant cases before the High Court and argued matters before the Supreme Court of India, Delhi High Court, and Himachal Pradesh High Court.

Elevation to Judiciary and Public Service Roles

Justice Arun Palli was elevated as a Judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court on December 28, 2013.

Besides his judicial responsibilities, he was appointed the Executive Chairman of the Haryana State Legal Services Authority on May 31, 2023. He was also nominated as a Member of the Governing Body of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) for a two-year term starting October 31, 2023.