DHCBA Writes To Delhi HC CJ Seeking Waiver Of License Fee And Electricity Charges Levied On Chamber Allottees

The Delhi High Court Bar Association has written a letter to the Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court seeking waiver of the license fee levied on the allottees of chambers situated in the court premises.

The letter addressed to Chief Justice DN Patel also seeks a direction to be issued to the New Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) to withdraw the minimum electricity charges levied on respect to the aforesaid chambers with effect from March 24 till such time the normal functioning of the court is restored.

It is pointed out in the letter that during the first phase of the lockdown, the chambers were not utilised at all. Despite the court's order directing for the restrictive access to the chambers, the chambers have been utilised only negligibly due to limited opening hours of the chambers and the surge in the cases of COVID19.

The letter further states that:

'There is also no gainsaying that during these unprecedented trouble times when practically the entire country has come to a standstill, lawyers have been severely financially impacted with much diminished spending capacities at their disposal. There have been many cases where lawyers are finding it very difficult to even defray their routine household essential expenses.'

It is further expressed in the letter that the NDMC has continued to charge minimum electricity charges from the allottees of these chambers despite the fact that practically no electricity has been utilised by the allottees.

This imposition of minimum electricity charges, the letter states, has further augmented the financial difficulties of the members of the Bar Association.

In light of this, the Bar Association wants the court to waive off the fees levied of the allottees of these chambers with effect from March 24 till such time the normal functioning of the court is restored. 

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