By year-end, working strength in Delhi Judicial Service shall be nearly at par with sanctioned strength: HC

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court said on Wednesday that the working strength in the Delhi Judicial Service is expected to be nearly at par with the sanctioned strength by the end of this year.

A Division Bench, comprising Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora, was hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed in 2014, seeking the advertising of vacancies in the lower judiciary existing at that time.

While disposing the PIL filed by Advocate RK Kapoor, the court noted that appropriate steps in this regard have been taken, and by this year-end, the working strength shall be nearly at par with the sanctioned strength.

The initial relief sought in the petition regarding filling up of vacancies no longer required consideration.

The PIL also sought infrastructure creation and financial support from the State Government and the Union of India.

The court mentioned that steps have been taken between 2014 and 2022 on the issue and that the matter of judicial infrastructure development in the national Capital is under consideration before the Supreme Court in the case of Malik Mazhar Sultan vs UP Public Service Commission.

Given the changes in circumstances, the court stated, "No further directions are called for with respect to the development of infrastructure in the present writ petition."

Additionally, the court directed the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to take appropriate steps within 12 weeks for converting Tikona Park into a parking space near Tis Hazari Court Complex.

It also instructed the Land and Development Office (L&DO) and Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to act expeditiously upon receiving the appropriate request from the MCD regarding the identified land for green space.

"With the aforesaid directions to the MCD, DDA, and L&DO, the present petition and pending applications stand disposed of as satisfied," the court concluded.