The Delhi High Court has expressed serious disappointment with the Delhi Government and the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) for the lack of progress in building official residences for judicial officers in the city.

A division bench led by Chief Justice D.K. Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela made it clear that their repeated requests to the DDA have gone unheard. The judges remarked that it is the duty of government officials to understand and support the basic needs of judicial officers, including decent living accommodations.

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“We have to virtually beg. The court has recorded its request in one of its orders... Don’t push us to the wall. Ensure otherwise these sweet sounding words will not help,” the bench stated firmly.

The Court mentioned that they are “short of summoning the officers” due to the continued neglect and that every department involved is testing the Court's patience.

“It is for both the Central government and the state government. Apprise all the departments and officers about this. They should not test the court’s patience like this…,” the Court further added.

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The issue of housing shortage is significant. Out of the sanctioned 897 judicial officers, only 348 flats are currently available—resulting in a shortfall of 549 residences. These existing accommodations are spread across different parts of Delhi, making it difficult for judges to commute efficiently.

Due to the housing crunch and inadequate House Rent Allowance (HRA), many judges are forced to live outside the city in places like Noida, Ghaziabad, or Gurugram, which affects their daily commute and work efficiency.

The Court granted the Delhi Government three weeks to take a “positive decision” on convening a meeting about the release of funds needed for residential flats in Dwarka. The DDA Commissioner has also been instructed to submit a report on steps taken to comply with past judicial orders. Additionally, the DDA Director is required to attend the upcoming hearing scheduled for May.

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In earlier hearings, the Court was informed that projects have been delayed for years. For example, a project started in 2014 to build 70 flats in Dwarka has still not been completed. Other proposed sites in Anand Vihar and Shahdara faced issues such as land use conflicts and site suitability.

“Providing proper housing to judicial officers should be a top priority,” the Court reminded the authorities.

The Court’s remarks make it clear that this issue can no longer be ignored, and responsible departments must act without further delay.

The PILs have been filed by Sahil A Garg Narwana and Judicial Service Association, Delhi.

Title: Sahil A Garg Narwana v. UNION OF INDIA AND ORS and other connected matter