NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has directed the Delhi government to provide 150 additional temporary courtrooms in district courts here by March 2020 to enable 147 lower court judges, who are being recruited, to function.
The apex court had on October 22 taken note of over 5,000 vacant posts of judicial officers in lower courts across the country and sought information from all the 24 high courts as also states about the steps taken to fill them up.
The top court is also monitoring aspects of lack of infrastructure and man power in lower courts and they include lack of courtrooms and residential units for new judges.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justices S K Kaul took note of the undertakings and submissions on behalf of the Delhi government and asked it to provide 150 temporary courtrooms by March 2020 to enable 147 new judicial officers to hold courts.
“We direct the Public Works Department of the Government of NCT of Delhi to act accordingly and also all authorities concerned in the matter of allotment of land to finalize the process of allotment so that the 150 temporary units are available on scheduled time to enable the additional courts to start functioning from March or so of the year 2020,” the bench said.
The bench also noted the submission of the Delhi High Court registry that 147 lower court judges, whose recruitment process is on, would complete their training and will be in a position to hold courts by March 2020.
In the meantime, the AAP government told the court that besides constructing 150 temporary courtrooms, it would construct 201 permanent court rooms, 525 lawyers chambers and 100 residential units for judges by February 2021 with an estimated cost of Rs 504 crore provided the lands are made available to it by DDA and other authorities.
The bench asked the authorities to expedite the land allotment process “at the earliest”.
The Delhi government said it would construct 201 new court rooms at Shastri Park, Karkardooma, Rohini and Rouse Avenue.
One hundred residential units for housing lower court judges would also be built at Anand Vihar, it said, adding that 525 lawyers’ chambers would be constructed at Shastri Park, Rouse Avenue and Rohini by February 2021.
The apex court took note of the undertakings of the Delhi government and the high court and said that the recruitment of judges as well as availability of infrastructure including housing in Delhi will not require any further orders from it.PTI
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