A stay, and then an invitation to chambers: the Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh High Court has put the CAT Jammu order imposing Rs 10,000 costs on Senior Advocate Jahangir Ganai on hold, and has called the Tribunal members and the petitioners to meet it and explore a settlement.
Jammu and Kashmir: Until the next hearing, a Tribunal order that levied costs on a Senior Advocate for appearing in virtual proceedings without uniform will not operate. The Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh High Court has stayed the effect and operation of the order of the Central Administrative Tribunal, Jammu Bench, which imposed costs of Rs 10,000 on Senior Advocate Jahangir Ganai and recorded that he appeared without wearing uniform [Jehangir Iqbal Ganie v. Mohd Amin Dar and Others].
The writ petition against the Tribunal’s order was heard by a Division Bench of Justices Sanjeev Kumar and M.A. Chowdhary. Senior Advocate U.K. Jalali led a team of advocates for the petitioner, Senior Advocate Abhinav Sharma appeared for the respondent Mohd Amin Dar and others, and Additional Advocate General Rajesh Thappa appeared for the State.
A stay until the next hearing
Finding that a case for indulgence had been made out at this stage, the Bench suspended the Tribunal’s order till the matter is next heard. The operative direction reads:
In the meanwhile, there shall be stay of the effect and operation of the impugned order.
The Court added that it intends to mediate and explore an amicable settlement. For that purpose it directed the concerned Tribunal members and the petitioners to appear in person in chambers on October 21.
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The order under challenge
Passed earlier this month, the Tribunal’s order recorded that the Senior Advocate appeared in the virtual proceedings without wearing uniform and made derogatory remarks against the Tribunal.
It further observed that he appeared unapologetic about not wearing uniform, and on that footing imposed Rs 10,000 as costs.
It is this order that the petition before the High Court challenges. The account of the Tribunal’s order is as recorded by the Tribunal; this report expresses no view on what was said in its proceedings.
What the stay leaves open
The interim order pauses the costs while the High Court tries to resolve, in chambers, the matter between the Bar and the Tribunal. It does not decide whether the Tribunal was right to treat the absence of uniform in a virtual hearing as warranting costs. That question stays open, and the next listing may or may not reach it if the parties settle.
Case Title: Jehangir Iqbal Ganie v. Mohd Amin Dar and Others (case number to be verified)
Bench: Justices Sanjeev Kumar and M.A. Chowdhary, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh High Court
Date of Order: not stated in the order text available; next listing in chambers on October 21, 2026
Appearances: Senior Advocate U.K. Jalali with Advocates Prachi Sharma, K.S. Johal, Supreet Singh Johal and others for the petitioner; Senior Advocate Abhinav Sharma with Advocate Abhirash Sharma for respondent Mohd Amin Dar and others; Additional Advocate General Rajesh Thappa with Advocate Pawan Kundal for the State