Can Advocates Residing In NCR Be Allotted Chambers In Delhi District Courts? High Court Refers Issue To Portfolio Committee

The Delhi High Court has asked its Portfolio Committee to decide whether advocates residing in the National Capital Region (NCR) can be allotted lawyers' chambers in Delhi District Courts.A Division Bench of Justices V. Kameswar Rao and Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora disposed of a writ petition filed by an advocate challenging the residence-based eligibility condition under the rules governing allotment of lawyers' chambers in the Shahdara/Karkardooma, Dwarka and Rohini District Courts.Petitioner, a lawyer by profession, had contended that restricting eligibility only to advocates residing within the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, and excluding those residing in the NCR, was arbitrary and violative of constitutional principles of equality and non-discrimination. It was argued that several advocates practising regularly in Delhi courts reside in NCR areas such as Noida, Ghaziabad, Gurugram and Faridabad, which are often closer to court complexes than many parts of Delhi itself.During the hearing, the Standing Counsel for the Government of NCT of Delhi relied on the Supreme Court's decision in Gopal Jha v. Supreme Court of India (2019), where the apex court had observed that, given the changed circumstances and urban expansion around Delhi, it may be time to reconsider residence-based eligibility conditions for allotment of lawyers' chambers. The Supreme Court had, however, left the final decision on such policy matters to the appropriate allotment committees.Taking note of the said precedent, the Delhi High Court observed that the issue raised by the petitioner would be more appropriately considered by the Portfolio Committees of the High Court concerned with the respective District Courts.Appearance: Mr. Rajat Malhotra, Mr. Sudhanshu Sharma, Mr. Saksham Bansal, Ms. Kamayni Tripathi, Ms. Yamini Bansal, Advs. for Petitioner; Mr. Sameer Vashisht, Standing Counsel (Civil), GNCTD with Ms. Harshita Nathrani, Adv and Ms. Khushboo Mittal, Adv. for R-1, 3 and 5.Case title: Sh Piyush Gupta Advocate v. The Chamber Allotment Committee & Ors.Case no.: W.P.(C) 2473/2026Click here to read order

Can Advocates Residing In NCR Be Allotted Chambers In Delhi District Courts? High Court Refers Issue To Portfolio Committee

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