Delhi High Court Asks Centre To Issue Guidelines For Engagement Of Govt Counsel Within Three Months

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday granted three months time to the Union Government for issuing guidelines for engagement of counsels to represent its various departments.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela was dealing with a PIL filed by one Vishal Sharma.

Sharma challenged the recent empanelment of counsels to represent the Central Government before the Delhi High Court and lower courts.

SGI Tushar Mehta told Court that the Central Government will “take a call” and devise appropriate mechanism regarding empanelment of lawyers.

The Court closed the plea while asking Union of India to consider the petition as a representation.

It added that the individual facts raised by the petitioner shall be considered and the plea will be attended to by the Central Government.

“So far as framing of guidelines is concerned, we grant three months to the Central Government to take a decision and issue guidelines for engagement of counsels to represent its various departments,” the Bench said.

It clarified that no observations were made on the merits of the claims of the petitioner.