Srinagar, March 29, KNT: The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly has passed the Civil Courts (Amendment) Bill, 2026, formally renaming the Munsiff Court as Civil Judge (Junior Division), according to legislative details shared on Sunday.
The amendment introduces changes in court designations, replacing the terms “Munsiff” and “Subordinate Judge” with “Civil Judge (Junior Division)” and “Civil Judge (Senior Division)” respectively.
The move is significant as it alters long-standing judicial terminology in the region, drawing attention from political leaders and legal observers.
PDP leader Waheed Ur Rehman Para said the change, though administrative in nature, carries broader historical and linguistic implications.
“Munsiff, an Arabic term that came to India via Persian, means ‘justice’ or ‘equity’. Its removal may seem small, but it erases centuries of historical and linguistic legacy,” Para said.
He also linked the development to broader political changes in the region, stating that such decisions reflect a continuation of policies affecting historical identity.
“After 5th August, the erosion of history and records was blamed on the LG administration. Now, the same agenda is carried forward by an elected government, under the legitimacy of a mandate, Para said.
“With our numbers at just four, the opposition is not in a position to stop such moves,” he said, questioning the rationale behind replacing a term rooted in legal tradition.
According to the text of the amendment, the Act will come into force from the date of its publication in the Official Gazette.. [KNT]
