24-05-2025
Let district courts hear civil cases involving disputes up to Rs 20 crore: Bar Association to Meghwal
The district courts in Delhi should be allowed to hear civil suits involving disputes up to Rs 20 crore, the coordination committee of the District Court Bar Association urged Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal in a letter on Friday.
The body has urged for an 'enhancement of pecuniary jurisdiction of district courts of Delhi from Rs 2 crore to Rs 20 crore' in relation to hearing civil suits. Currently, the jurisdiction of civil suits involving disputes of more than Rs 2 crore is vested with the Delhi High Court.
'…Delhi has got only 11 district courts located in six complexes having civil jurisdiction, and the Hon'ble High Court of Delhi has only very few courts (Presently 4) vested with original civil jurisdiction. It is further noteworthy that the Honourable High Court of Delhi has very limited capacity,' read the letter to Meghwal.
'With every passing day,' the letter further pointed out, 'the inflation and other contributory factors result in an increase in the valuation of every transaction, which finally gives rise to an increasing number of cases going to the High Court of Delhi, and the cases in district courts keep decreasing'. 'On the other hand, the capacity of district courts keep increasing from time to time whereas the capacity High Court of Delhi is almost stagnant for many decades,' it read.
'…We, the coordination committee of All District Courts Bar Associations of Delhi take the privilege to draw your kind attention about the urgency for enhancement of pecuniary limits of all District Courts in Delhi from existing Rs 2 crore, which is very minuscule considering the cost of living or volume of business in Delhi to Rs 20 crore at least,' the letter urged, adding the rate of disposal in Delhi's district courts was higher than the disposal in the High Court.
Earlier, this monetary limit for district courts was Rs 20 lakh and was enhanced to Rs 2 crore in October 2015 after the Delhi High Court Act, 1966, was amended by the Parliament.
