The contentious Bill to enhance the Delhi High Court’s pecuniary jurisdiction from Rs20 lakh to Rs2 crore is likely to be taken up at the next meeting of the Union Cabinet.
The Delhi High Court (Amendment) Bill, 2014 seeks to reduce workload of the Delhi High Court by transferring civil suits, valued up to Rs2 crore, to the nine district courts in Delhi. Pecuniary jurisdiction was determined based on the amount or value of the subject matter of suit. The move, once it is implemented, will cause thousands of civil suits upto Rs2 crore to be transferred from High Court to district courts.
Given the present situation, cases involving even small property were required to be filed in the HC as it had the jurisdiction of civil suits involving Rs20 lakh and above. The very Statement of Objects and Reasons of the Bill suggest, “The poor people living in Delhi also have to cover considerable distance to approach the Delhi High Court to seek justice in their cases… This increased the workload of the Delhi High Court.”
The Bill, introduced in the Rajya Sabha in February, was cleared by the Standing Committee on law and Personnel. Following the tabling of the Committee’s report in the Winter Session of Parliament, the law Ministry decided to list the Bill for clearance in the Cabinet agenda. The Cabinet is expected to meet next week.
The Delhi High Court Bar Association had vehemently opposed the amendment but the Parliamentary panel examined all objections to conclude that the Bill aims to make access to justice closer to people. The Coordination Committee of Bar Association of Delhi, on the other hand, sought enhancement of the pecuniary jurisdiction of district courts in Delhi. The move to amend the Delhi High Court Act was initiated by former Delhi High Court Chief Justice D Murugesan last year.
The pecuniary jurisdiction of the High Court of Delhi and District Courts of Delhi was last revised in 2003 from Rs5 lakh to Rs20 lakh by the Delhi High Court (Amendment) Act, 2003.