Punjab & Haryana HC Directs Chandigarh Admin To Allot It Three Additional Plots Of Land To Meet High Court's 'Future Need Of 50 Yrs'

The Punjab & Haryana High Court has directed the Chandigarh Administration to allot over 15 acres of land for the administrative block of the Court, keeping "in view the future need of 50 years."

A division bench of Acting Chief Justice Ritu Bahri and Justice Nidhi Gupta observed that the High Court was constructed in the year 1954 with sanctioned strength of 9 Judges with around 200/250 registered Advocates.

"As on today, the sanctioned strength of the High Court Judges is 85 and there are about 10000 to 12000 registered Advocates in the High Court," it was observed.

Court noted that in almost 70 years, the sanctioned strength of the High Court Judges had arisen from 9 to 85, and at present, there were 69 courtrooms in the High Court building, in which Permanent Lok Adalats as well as Mediation Centers were also functioning.

The bench further said that it is in the process of appointing 10 Counsellors and extra staff will be required for their back-up.

"In the next 50 years, there can be further increase in the sanctioned strength of the High Court Judges to the extent of 140/150. To accommodate so many Judges as well as the administrative staff, land in Sarangpur, which consists of two plots of 06 acres each and one plot of 2.86 acres, should be allotted by the Chandigarh Administration in favour of the High Court," it observed.

These observations were made in response to a PIL filed by the Secretary of the Punjab & Haryana High Court, Vinod Dhatterwal.

The bench noted that Anil Menta, Senior Standing Counsel, U.T., Chandigarh, had shown a plan of Sarangpur, wherein there were two plots of 6 acres each and one plot of 2.86 acres which were shown to be available for allotment.

 "Keeping in view the future need of 50 years, a direction is being issued to the Union Territory, Chandigarh, administration to allot these three plots to the High Court," said the Court.

While deferring the matter to January 24, the Court made it clear that the land in the Industrial Area and Sector 17, Chandigarh, where the High Court branches are already functioning, shall not be given back to the Chandigarh administration.

Case Title: Vinod Dhatterwal and others v. Union of India and others