Delhi High Court building set for expansion: Court issues notice to Centre on DHCBAs plea [Read Plea]

NEW DELHI: In a significant move to address infrastructural deficiencies, the Delhi High Court has issued notices to the Union Ministry of Law and Justice, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, and the High Court's own registry. This action comes in response to a plea filed by the Delhi High Court Bar Association (DHCBA), which seeks to expand the existing court premises to better accommodate its growing needs.

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The DHCBA has specifically requested that the Centre relocate current residents of Bapa Nagar's residential quarterslocated adjacent to the High Courtto make way for the expansion. The proposed relocation would utilize new or ongoing constructions under the General Pool Residential Accommodation (GPRA) scheme, ensuring that the displaced individuals have proper accommodations.

Outlining the critical conditions facing legal professionals at the High Court, the petition has been filed through Advocates Nitesh Mehra and Siddharth Tripathy.
They highlighted the "grossly inadequate" facilities, including a severe shortage of chambers, insufficient bar room amenities, and a lack of libraries and parking spaces. This, they argue, hampers the legal community's ability to effectively assist in court proceedings and, by extension, the administration of justice.

Further stressing the urgency of the situation, the petition notes that the average waiting time for the allotment of a chamber can stretch between 15 to 20 yearsa clear indicator of the existing infrastructural shortfall.

The bench, led by Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora, has set an eight-week deadline for the concerned ministries and the High Court registry to respond. The matter has been scheduled for a follow-up hearing on July 31, setting the stage for potentially transformative developments in the judicial infrastructure at one of Indias key judicial bodies.

 [Read Plea]