Justice Arun Palli appointed Chief Justice of J-K and Ladakh High Court

Justice Arun Palli of the Punjab and Haryana High Court was on Saturday appointed Chief Justice of the Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court. The appointment by the President of India followed the Supreme Court Collegium’s recommendation earlier this month.

Over the past decade on the Bench, Justice Palli earned wide respect for his ability to navigate complex constitutional, civil, arbitration and intellectual property rights issues with judicial clarity and craftsmanship. His rulings have consistently reflected intellectual rigour, balance and fidelity to constitutional values and have stood out for their precision, coherence and sensitivity to both legal nuance and administrative equity.

Appointed to the Bench on December 28, 2013, Justice Palli has also served as Executive Chairman of the Haryana State Legal Services Authority since May 2023, and was nominated to the Governing Body of the National Legal Services Authority in October 2023—recognitions that reflect his commitment to strengthening access to justice and institutional outreach.

Before his elevation, Justice Palli had a distinguished practice as a lawyer at the Punjab and Haryana High Court, where he was designated Senior Advocate in 2007. He served as Additional Advocate-General for Punjab between 2004 and 2007, and was appointed amicus curiae in several high-stakes constitutional matters.

Born on September 18, 1964, Justice Palli comes from a family deeply rooted in the legal profession. His father, Justice (retd) Prem Kishan Palli, served on the Bench of the Himachal Pradesh High Court. After graduating in law from Panjab University, Chandigarh, in 1988, he built a formidable legal practice spanning constitutional, civil, labour, industrial and revenue matters.