The Delhi High Court questioned the decision of the Delhi High Court Bar Association (DHCBA) to abstain from work, observing that such strikes ultimately inconvenience litigants. The DHCBA has called for a boycott of court proceedings in protest against a proposal to enhance the pecuniary jurisdiction of district courts from Rs 2 crore to Rs 20 crore.
The bench of Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav asked a proxy counsel appearing before him about the reason behind the strike. The counsel informed the Court that the Bar Association was opposing the proposed increase in the pecuniary limits of district courts.
Expressing strong disapproval of the work boycott, Justice Kaurav remarked that abstaining from court duties is improper. He pointed out that litigants bear the brunt of such protests and urged the legal community to voice their complaints before the appropriate forums using the correct legal channels.
Justice Kaurav also took issue with proxy counsel appearing in matters without proper instructions from the arguing advocates. He questioned how they could effectively assist the bench under such circumstances, especially given the limited number of working days remaining before the court’s upcoming vacations
The issue traces back to May 2025, when the Coordination Committee of the All District Courts Bar Associations of Delhi wrote to Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal and members of the Law Commission seeking enhancement of the pecuniary jurisdiction of district courts from Rs 2 crore to Rs 20 crore.
Subsequently, a committee of Delhi High Court judges was constituted to examine the proposal, interact with stakeholders and make recommendations.
However, the DHCBA has opposed the move.
Earlier this year, on January 24, the Registrar General of the Delhi High Court had written to the Coordination Committee of the All District Courts Bar Associations, inviting representatives to participate in discussions with the judges’ committee on the proposed changes.
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