Justice Sanjeev Kumar has been appointed as the Acting Chief Justice of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. This announcement was made through a notification issued by the Department of Justice, Ministry of Law and Justice, on June 1, 2026. This appointment follows the elevation of former Chief Justice Arun Palli to the Supreme Court of India.
Born on April 8, 1966, Justice Sanjeev Kumar pursued his legal education at the University of Jammu, where he graduated with a law degree in 1989. Following his graduation, he was admitted to the bar in the same year and began his legal career practicing mainly before the Jammu and Kashmir High Court. His practice areas included civil, constitutional, service, and taxation law.
Justice Kumar’s notable contributions to the legal field include his tenure as Senior Additional Advocate General for the erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir. On June 6, 2017, he was appointed as a permanent Judge of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir. Throughout his judicial career, Justice Kumar has been recognized for delivering key judgments on issues such as constitutional rights, service law, preventive detention, land laws, and public administration.
With his latest appointment as Acting Chief Justice, Justice Sanjeev Kumar will oversee the operations of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh until a new permanent Chief Justice is named. His leadership is expected to continue the tradition of judicial excellence and uphold the rule of law in the region.
For more details, you can view the official notification from the Department of Justice.
