Leh: In a significant move to streamline appointments to top legal posts, the Administration of Union Territory of Ladakh has notified new recruitment rules for the post of Special Secretary in the Department of Law and Justice.
The rules, titled “Ladakh Legal Gazetted (Special Secretary) Recruitment Rules, 2025,” were issued under the provisions of Article 309 of the Constitution of India. These new rules supersede all earlier notifications related to the post and will come into effect from the date of their publication in the Official Gazette.
According to the notification, the rules define the method of recruitment, age limit, educational qualifications, pay level, and other key criteria related to the Special Secretary position. Detailed information is laid out in the attached schedule of the notification.
A notable provision in the rules mandates that candidates appointed through direct recruitment must meet the residency criteria as per laws in force in the Union Territory of Ladakh.
This ensures that the recruitment process remains aligned with the region’s specific administrative and legal requirements.
The rules also clarify disqualifications, including marital conditions that may affect eligibility. However, exceptions can be made at the discretion of the Lieutenant Governor, especially if permitted under the personal law applicable to the individual.
Further, the Lieutenant Governor has been vested with the power to relax the rules in special cases, in consultation with the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), when deemed necessary in the public interest.
Importantly, the notification underlines that reservations and age relaxations for candidates belonging to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and other special categories will continue as per existing norms and policies of the Ladakh Administration.
The order was issued in the name of the Lieutenant Governor by Qureshi Tariq Mahmood, Special Secretary, Department of Law & Justice, UT of Ladakh.
