Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena has ordered the retrieval of all files pertaining to courts, judicial infrastructure, swift justice delivery, and the justice administration system in the city due to alleged delays by the AAP government in their approval, according to officials at the Raj Niwas on Thursday.
The Lt Governor has mandated that all files pending with the law minister for up to six months be presented to him within three days, as stated by the officials.
In response, the AAP government issued a statement asserting that it has made the highest-ever investment in judicial infrastructure in the history of Delhi.
These files encompass proposals for the construction of a district court complex in Rohini, lawyers’ chambers at Rouse Avenue Court, the acquisition of thin-client machines for district courts, printers for family courts, the establishment of state and district legal services authorities, the appointment of an “official receiver,” the formation of panels for the government in the Delhi VAT and GST tribunal, district courts, and a file concerning the augmentation of allowances for retired chief justices and judges of the Delhi High Court, as per a Raj Niwas official.
On December 4, a report from the principal secretary (law and justice) highlighted that 18 files were pending, and the officer had written to the law minister on November 13 urging a prompt decision on the files but received no response, officials noted.
Consequently, the LG Secretariat, in a communication to the principal secretary (law and justice) on Thursday, requested all pending files with the law minister for the Lieutenant Governor’s review within three days. The communication, also shared with Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, highlighted the “inordinate delay” by the government in processing these files, adversely impacting the efficiency and responsiveness of the judicial system, in violation of the Supreme Court’s initiatives for technical innovations in justice administration.
The Lieutenant Governor, while recalling the files, expressed grave concern over the backlog of crucial proposals related to court and judicial administration. He pointed out that the delays caused by the law minister were hindering the administration of justice in the capital.
The Kejriwal government countered, emphasizing its efforts in constructing world-class facilities at Rouse Avenue Court, Karkardooma Court Complex, and Tis Hazari Court. It argued that before the AAP government assumed power, minimal investment was made in judicial infrastructure.
According to the AAP government, the investment in judicial infrastructure was Rs 504 crore in 2013-14. Under the Kejriwal government, this figure increased to Rs 800 crore in 2015-16, Rs 1,450 crore in 2017-18, and Rs 1,528 crore in 2022-23.
Furthermore, the AAP government asserted its approval of numerous judicial infrastructure projects in the current year and committed to prioritizing such projects in the future, despite limited powers.
(with PTI inputs)
