Wani’s appointment was recommended on January 22 by the Supreme Court Collegium headed by Chief Justice of India S A Bobde. With his appointment, the strength of the HC will increase to 13 against the total strength of 17.

The central government on Tuesday notified the appointment of former additional advocate general Javed Iqbal Wani as a judge of Jammu and Kashmir High Court.

Advocate Wani is the estranged son-in-law of senior advocate Mian Abdul Qayoom, the president of J&K High Court Bar Association who is in preventive detention under the Public Safety Act.

“In exercise of the power conferred by clause (1) of Article 217 of the Constitution of India, the President is pleased to appoint Shri Javed Iqbal Wani, to be a Judge of Common High Court for the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir and Union territory of Ladakh with effect from the date he assumes charge of his office,” the Law Ministry notification said.

Wani’s appointment was recommended on January 22 by the Supreme Court Collegium headed by Chief Justice of India S A Bobde. With his appointment, the strength of the HC will increase to 13 against the total strength of 17.

Wani served as additional advocate general from February to December 2019, and also represented the Army in the Pathribal fake encounter case. As the senior additional advocate general of J&K government, Wani had defended the government’s position in a petition filed by his father-in-law.

Following the abrogation of J&K’s special status, Qayoom, who is said to be close to Hurriyat chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani, was detained on August 7.

Qayoom earlier lodged in Agra jail on the grounds of allegedly being a staunch advocate of secessionist ideology. Later, he was shifted to Delhi’s Tihar jail on health grounds.