'Shortage of courtrooms a hindrance in starting 42 more commercial courts'

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court has been informed that the shortage of courtrooms here was coming in the way of immediately starting 42 additional commercial courts which will be established once the infrastructure is completed.

The submission was made by the administrative side of the high court in a pending petition seeking to direct the authorities to set up more commercial courts as notified by the Delhi government on April 13, 2021, to ensure speedy redressal of commercial cases instituted in the national capital.

The Joint Registrar of Delhi High Court, in an affidavit filed in pursuance of the court's earlier directions, said that all the Principal District and Sessions Judges of district court complexes here were requested to provide the latest information in respect of vacant/availability of courtrooms in their respective court complexes.

The court had earlier issued notice and sought a response of the Delhi High Court, through the Registrar General, the Delhi government, and the Centre on a petition by advocate and social activist Amit Sahni seeking directions to set up posts of 42 more District Judges (commercial) in view of a notification issued by the city government on April 13, 2021.

The notification was issued in furtherance of the Delhi Government's cabinet approval regarding the setting up of 42 additional posts of District Judges (commercial).

The court had also directed the administrative side of the high court to file an affidavit disclosing the position regarding the availability of courtrooms and judicial officers who could man these commercial courts. As per the data received in the affidavit, out of a total of 554 courtrooms, presently there are nine vacant courtrooms in court complexes here. The matter is scheduled to come up for a hearing on Tuesday.