Delhi District Courts Coordination Committee Condemns DHCBA Resolution Opposing Enhancement Of Pecuniary Jurisdiction

The Coordination Committee of all Delhi District Courts Bar Associations has strongly opposed the resolution passed by the Executive Committee of the Delhi High Court Bar Association (DHCBA) objecting to the proposed enhancement of pecuniary jurisdiction of District Courts in the national capital from Rs. 2 crore to Rs. 20 crore.

In a resolution passed yesterday, the Coordination Committee has termed the action “unjustified, regressive and contrary to public and litigant interest.”

The resolution states that the existing pecuniary jurisdiction of Rs. 2 Crores has become grossly unrealistic and economically obsolete, particularly in view of the exponential rise in property valuations over the last decade.

The Coordination Committee has said that continuation of such an “outdated limit” has resulted in an avoidable and disproportionate burden on the Original Side of the Delhi High Court to the direct detriment of litigants.

It has further been said that the DHCBA resolution “conveniently overlook and ignores the significant infrastructural expansion of District Courts, increase in judicial strength, improved disposal rates and enhanced institutional capacity of District Courts over recent years."

“It is deeply regrettable that the DHCBA chose to pass the impugned Resolution at a time when: A Hon'ble Judges' Committee of the Delhi High Court has already initiated a consultative and deliberative process on the issue of enhancement of pecuniary jurisdiction,” the resolution states.

It adds that even the Registrar General of the Delhi High Court has formally invited representatives of the Coordination Committee for interaction with the Judges' Committee.

The Coordination Committee has called upon the Delhi High Court Bar Association to withdraw, reconsider, or suitably modify its Resolution and to participate constructively in the ongoing consultative process.

“The Coordination Committee requests all esteemed members of the legal fraternity to record their views and support by submitting their response through the Google Form, the link to which is shared below. All advocates who concur with and support the demand for enhancement of the pecuniary jurisdiction of the District Courts of Delhi are earnestly requested to submit their response through the said Google Form, so that the collective and representative voice of the District Court Bar may be appropriately placed before the competent authorities,” the resolution states.