Delhi HC issues notice on DHC Bar Association plea for additional space for court’s expansion

New Delhi [India], May 1 (ANI): The Delhi High Court on Wednesday issued notice on a plea moved by the Delhi High Court Bar Association (DHCBA) seeking direction to the Union of India through the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs for additional space for infrastructural requirements and expansion of the Delhi High Court.

The plea moved by DHCBA seeks the expansion of Delhi High Court in courtrooms, lawyers’ chambers, parking space, record room facilities and other allied activities by the redevelopment of adjacent land at Bapa Nagar, Zakir Hussain Road, New Delhi.

The bench of Justice Manmohan and Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora sought a response from the Union of India through the Ministries of Housing and Urban Affairs and Law and Justice as well as the Registrar General of the High Court and listed the matter for July 31.

The plea stated that adjacent land at Bapa Nagar, Zakir Hussain Road, New Delhi, which has old existing residential quarters for the government employees and directing the respondents to hand over possession of the entire land of Bapa Nagar, New Delhi for infrastructural needs for expansion of Delhi High Court.

It includes the Delhi High Court Bar Association, by relocating the existing occupants of the residential quarters in Bapa Nagar, New Delhi, to the newly constructed, in any of the GPRA Scheme of construction of flats

The plea further added that with an increase in the workload; the infrastructure as a whole has to expand and Courtrooms, lawyers’ chambers, library facilities, record rooms, Canteens, public conveniences etc. have to be proportionally expanded and or increased which would necessitate the allocation of considerable extent of land in the immediate neighbourhood, as the High Court along with its several constructed blocks, as an institution cannot be moved from its current location.

The plea further stated that given the huge backlog of cases, which necessitates an increase in the strength of judges in the Delhi High Court, this would entail the requirement for additional courtrooms, space for judges’ chambers, the staff attached to the Hon’ble judges, waiting lounge for lawyers and litigants, public conveniences etc.

The Delhi High Court needs extra space for its various departments viz. Filing, Inspection, Dealing, E-filing and administrative block due to the increase of work, which has led to grave inconvenience to the working of high court staff, lawyers litigants, etc.

The strength of the advocates has also increased multi-fold and at present, there are about 35,000 lawyers registered as members of the Delhi High Court Bar Association and the number of chambers available is far too inadequate.

“In the present circumstances, it is both necessary and essential that provision has to be made for space for the construction of additional chambers block of the High Court so that lawyers could discharge their function effectively and properly,” the plea read.