Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Thursday announced an allocation of ₹540 crore for the construction of residences for judicial officers in the national capital, addressing the long-standing shortage of official accommodation.
The announcement came during an event organised by the Delhi High Court to launch a series of e-initiatives, including a new mobile application.
Ms Gupta said, “The government and judiciary must function together. This allocation will translate into better facilities for the judiciary.”
She highlighted that her government has doubled the budget for the judiciary, with special emphasis on establishing hybrid courts equipped with in-built video-conferencing facilities.
The Chief Minister also announced the appointment of four law researchers for each judicial officer in Delhi and assured free Wi-Fi connectivity in all court premises.
She lauded the judiciary’s efforts to reduce the mounting pendency of cases, while also pointing to the city government’s initiatives, including doubling the daily garbage removal capacity from 14,000 metric tonnes to 30,000 metric tonnes and ongoing work to clean the Yamuna river.
The event saw the launch of the Delhi High Court mobile app, “e-HRMS” for judicial officers, the e-Office pilot project, the onboarding of the MCD Appellate Tribunal and Juvenile Justice Boards on e-Courts, and the digital preservation of judicial records.
The initiatives were inaugurated by Justice Vikram Nath, Supreme Court judge and Chairperson of the e-Committee.
Justice Nath said the projects reaffirmed the judiciary’s openness to public scrutiny. “Transparency builds trust, and trust is the foundation upon which justice rests. Without it, the law remains distant. With it, the law becomes a living reality for people,” Justice Nath said.
Not shying away from candid commentary, Justice Nath also called for live streaming of Delhi High Court proceedings. “Delhi High Court has still not gone online. Live streaming is not here… It is the premier institution of the country. Delhi High Court must go live,” he urged, before quipping that he would be happy to return to inaugurate the facility once approved.
Justice Prathiba M. Singh, who chairs the court’s Information Technology & Artificial Intelligence Committee, described the occasion as an “important day” for the judiciary with the launch of the mobile app and other digital platforms.
Delhi High Court Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya urged the members of the bar to “make best use of this initiatives”.
Published – September 05, 2025 01:44 am IST
