The Delhi High Court issued notice to the High Court of Delhi, Central and Delhi government on a plea filed by district court judges of the national capital seeking appropriate government residential accommodations.
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NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court issued a notice to the Delhi High Court, Central Government, and the Delhi Government, following a plea filed by district court judges in the national capital seeking suitable residential accommodations.
In an order passed on May 2, a Division Bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora directed the respondents to file their replies within four weeks, scheduling further consideration for July 16.
The petition was filed by the Judicial Service Association, Delhi, a representative body of the city’s judicial officers.
The judges’ association, in its plea, sought directions for the authorities to take appropriate steps to expedite the availability of sufficient government residential accommodations for Delhi Judicial Services Officers and Delhi Higher Judicial Services Officers. The plea stated that the current working strength of judicial officers in Delhi is 823, while there are only 347 residential accommodations available in the judicial pool.
“At present, the total working strength of judicial officers in Delhi is 823. However, there are only 347 residential accommodations available in the judicial pool. Hence, around half of the judicial officers in Delhi have not been provided any official residential accommodation. The said statistics clearly show that the current state of affairs vis-à-vis availability of government accommodations for judicial officers in Delhi is abysmal,”
–the plea contended.
The association noted that the Supreme Court, back in 1991, had directed State and Central governments to provide official residential accommodation to all judicial officers and, until then, to provide temporary accommodations. Despite these directions, many judicial officers in Delhi still lack residential accommodations, relying on “grossly inadequate” House Rent Allowance (HRA) and other allowances.
“The Supreme Court of India, way back in the year 1991, had issued specific directions to State governments and the Central government for providing official residential accommodation to all judicial officers and further said that until state accommodation is available, the government should provide accommodation to judicial officers. However, despite such specific directions passed more than thirty years ago, a large number of judicial officers in Delhi have not been provided any residential accommodation and the judicial officers are left to fend for themselves, only with the aid of grossly inadequate House Rent Allowance (HRA) and other allowances,”
-the plea stressed.
The petition highlighted that the HRA provided by the government is inadequate for obtaining suitable residential accommodations in Delhi, forcing many judicial officers to live in neighboring cities such as Faridabad, Noida, and Ghaziabad, leading to challenging commutes.
“It is submitted that at present, the HRA provided is 27% of the basic pay of judicial officers. The amount of House-Rent Allowance being provided to judicial officers is grossly inadequate, when compared to the market trend, and it is impracticable for several judicial officers (especially up to J-5 level) to rent out suitable and appropriate accommodations in the areas surrounding court premises. It is further submitted that several of these judicial officers also have their family to support, and it is even more difficult for them to be able to locate suitable and appropriate accommodations inside Delhi,”
-the plea added.
Furthermore, the plea pointed out that the number of residential accommodations available in the Central Pool and State Pool is significantly higher than in the Judicial Pool.
“It is submitted that until such time that there is sufficient availability of constructed residential accommodations for judicial officers, the judicial officers may be allowed to apply for accommodations under the Central Pool and State Pool,”
–the plea concluded.
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