The Delhi High Court has permitted a committee of judges to present its findings concerning the proposed increase in the pecuniary jurisdiction of district courts in the capital. This decision was handed down by a Division Bench comprising Justices Anil Kshetarpal and Tejas Karia, who dismissed the Delhi High Court Bar Association’s (DHCBA) plea to prevent the report from being submitted to the full court.
Judicial Decision on Pecuniary Jurisdiction
The DHCBA had sought to halt the submission of the report, tying their application to an ongoing case that challenges a previous full court decision to establish the committee of judges. The primary focus of the committee is to evaluate the proposal of increasing the pecuniary jurisdiction of district courts from ₹2 crores to ₹20 crores.
This committee emerged from a full court meeting on September 2, 2025, and includes Justices V Kameswar Rao, Nitin Wasudeo Sambre, Dinesh Mehta, Vivek Chaudhary, Prathiba M Singh, and Navin Chawla.
Background and Opposition
The push for expanding the pecuniary limits originated in May 2025 when the Coordination Committee of the All District Courts Bar Association of Delhi addressed a letter to Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal and the Law Commission. Their aim was to enhance the district courts’ pecuniary jurisdiction to ₹20 crores, prompting the formation of the judges’ committee to evaluate the request and engage with stakeholders.
Nevertheless, the DHCBA has been vocally against this initiative. They argue that the judges’ committee was improperly constituted following the full court’s notice of the Coordination Committee’s letter. The DHCBA contends that the letter was intended for the Union Ministry of Law, not the Chief Justice of the High Court. Moreover, the Ministry did not solicit comments or initiate any procedures, yet the full court proceeded with the letter’s recommendations, according to the DHCBA.
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Legal Representation
Representing the DHCBA in this matter was Senior Advocate AS Chandhiok, while Advocate Amit George appeared on behalf of the Delhi High Court. As the legal community awaits the detailed ruling, this development signifies a critical step in determining the future scope of district courts’ jurisdictional authority in Delhi.
