The Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed the immediate relocation of the Gurugram District Court to the newly constructed judicial complex, the ‘Tower of Justice.’ This decision was made by a Division Bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra and Justice Rohit Kapoor in the context of a suo motu case filed earlier this year to address the protracted construction timeline of the new complex.
The impetus for this move was a recent fire at the current Gurugram court complex, which severely disrupted judicial operations. As the facility is temporarily operating from a guest house, the Court noted that the situation has hampered the regular court functions, allowing only urgent matters to proceed. This disruption necessitated immediate action.
In response, the Public Works Department (PWD) assured the Bench of the new building’s completion. However, the Court’s order highlighted ongoing issues such as water-logged basements and pending bureaucratic clearances. Despite these obstacles, the Court emphasized the need for urgent relocation, stating, “Considering the peculiar facts prevailing at the District Judgeship, Gurugram, where the judicial work is severely curtailed, we are of the view that the shifting of the District Judgeship, Gurugram to the New Judicial Courts Complex, Gurugram (Tower of Justice) at Gurugram is inevitable in the predominant public interest.”
The Court has mandated the state authorities to proceed with the relocation immediately, while ensuring that remaining issues, including pending clearances, are resolved promptly. “We permit the State authorities to ensure that the shifting of the Court Complex is carried out forthwith, awaiting formal statutory approvals from the Pollution Control Board and the Fire Department and that the formal inauguration, etc., of the complex (Tower of Justice) be proceeded with,” the Court ordered.
The inauguration ceremony for the new complex is set for July 12, with the Chief Justice of India, Surya Kant, expected to grace the occasion as the Chief Guest. Initially announced in 2017, the Tower of Justice was projected to be completed in three years. Costing approximately ₹133 crore, the complex spans over seven acres and is touted as the largest judicial complex in North India, featuring 55 courtrooms and modern amenities.
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The project, however, faced significant delays, originally scheduled for completion by October 30, 2020. This led the High Court to take suo motu cognizance of the delay on April 29, 2026. Further complicating matters, a severe fire incident rendered the old court premises unfit and forced the judicial operations to a makeshift guest house setup.
During a recent hearing, the High Court reviewed a communication from the Haryana PWD claiming the new building’s readiness, accompanied by a proposed inauguration date. However, a surprise inspection by the District and Sessions Judge revealed incomplete interior and exterior works, along with missing essential court furniture. Furthermore, a recent downpour led to basement flooding due to sewerage system backfire, and the building lacked necessary fire safety and environmental clearances at the time.
Faced with the decision between a guest house setup and an incomplete new building, the High Court prioritized public interest by opting for the latter. “Ordinarily, we may have waited for all such steps (awaiting clearances) to be taken, but as we find that the judicial work in the District Court Complex is severely curtailed, any further delay in the shifting of the Court would be prejudicial to the public at large,” the Bench remarked.
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The High Court has instructed state authorities to submit a detailed compliance report on the relocation and the status of necessary clearances by July 21, 2026. Additional Advocate General Deepak Balyan represented the State of Haryana.
