Delhi High Court Seeks Expansion of Infrastructure as Lawyers' Association Files Plea

The Delhi High Court Bar Association (DHCBA) has filed a plea seeking directions for the expansion of the Delhi High Court's infrastructure, including the creation of more courtrooms, lawyers' chambers, and parking space. The plea, filed by the DHCBA and its secretary, Sandeep Sharma, requests the court to direct the government to hand over the entire land of Bapa Nagar, located adjacent to the High Court on Zakir Hussain Road in New Delhi, for the infrastructural needs of the court.

The Delhi High Court has issued a notice to the Union Ministry of Law and Justice, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, and the High Court registry, giving them eight weeks to file their replies. The court acknowledged the problem, stating that the High Court cannot be shifted elsewhere and needs the adjacent land for expansion, which is currently not available.

The DHCBA argues that due to the rise in litigation and the increase in the sanctioned strength of judges and the number of lawyers, currently around 35,000, the existing infrastructure is insufficient to accommodate the growing needs. The plea contends that the Delhi High Court faces a shortage of space to accommodate additional courtrooms, lawyers' chambers, modern libraries, canteens, parking facilities, bar rooms, and amenities for litigants.

The plea seeks the redevelopment of the Bapa Nagar land, which currently houses old residential quarters for government employees. The DHCBA wants the respondents, including the Union of India through the Ministries of Housing and Urban Affairs and Law and Justice, to hand over possession of the entire Bapa Nagar land for the High Court's expansion. The plea states that the High Court's infrastructure needs to be proportionally expanded to accommodate the increasing workload and the growing number of judges and lawyers.

Why this matters: The plea highlights the urgent need for infrastructural expansion of the Delhi High Court to address the lack of space and the chaos caused by the influx of lawyers, litigants, and other visitors to the court. The redevelopment of the adjacent Bapa Nagar land could provide a solution to the growing space constraints faced by the High Court.

The Delhi High Court has listed the matter for further hearing on July 31, 2024. In response to the DHCBA's plea, the court has sought a response from the relevant authorities, including the Union of India, the Ministries of Housing and Urban Affairs and Law and Justice, as well as the Registrar General of the High Court within eight weeks. The court has acknowledged the need for additional space and has indicated that it will look into the matter further to address the urgent need for infrastructural expansion of the Delhi High Court.

Key Takeaways

• DHCBA filed plea seeking expansion of Delhi HC infrastructure, including more courtrooms.
• Delhi HC issued notice to Centre, seeking reply on DHCBA's plea within 8 weeks.
• Existing infrastructure insufficient to accommodate rising litigation and lawyers (35,000).
• DHCBA seeks redevelopment of Bapa Nagar land adjacent to HC for expansion.
• Delhi HC acknowledged need for additional space and will look into the matter further.