The usual lunchtime rush at the Delhi High Court lawyers’ canteen looked unusually quiet this week. Advocates who walked in expecting their regular hot meals were instead greeted with a notice announcing that the canteen had temporarily stopped serving main course dishes due to an LPG shortage.
The notice, placed on several tables in the canteen, informed lawyers that cooking gas cylinders were currently unavailable, making it impossible to prepare cooked meals.
“This is to respectfully inform you that due to the unavailability of the LPG gas cylinder at present, we regret that we are unable to prepare and serve the main course items in the Lawyers’ Canteen,” the notice read.
As a result, popular dishes like biryani, dal makhani and shahee paneer have been taken off the menu for now. Instead, the canteen is serving lighter options such as sandwiches, salads and fruit chaat that do not require cooking gas.
Around lunchtime, many lawyers appeared surprised by the sudden change. Some were seen checking with canteen staff about alternatives, while others began discussing backup lunch plans in WhatsApp groups.
One lawyer reportedly asked whether samosas were still available, only to receive a quick “no.” Another advocate said he managed to get idlis and rice earlier in the day, but the staff had already begun warning customers that several cooked items could no longer be prepared.
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A junior lawyer, requesting anonymity, said the situation has made the workday slightly more difficult.
“Even if I bring lunch from home, I’ll end up eating cold food. I don’t have a place in the court complex where I can heat it,” he said.
Advocate Satyam Singh Rajput described the situation as ironic.
“While justice continues in the courtrooms, advocates who argue matters all day cannot even get a hot meal because there is no gas cylinder,” he said, hoping the problem would be resolved soon.
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Another lawyer, Advocate Akansha Rai, joked about the situation but acknowledged the seriousness.
“If the LPG shortage continues, the Delhi High Court bar canteen may have only arguments for lunch and no main course,” she said.
Canteen management said there is currently no clarity on when gas supplies will resume. Until then, only non-cooked food items will be served.
The shortage is reportedly linked to disruptions in fuel supply chains caused by the ongoing conflict in West Asia, which has also affected LNG shipments through the Strait of Hormuz.
The Central Government has meanwhile taken steps to regulate natural gas supply, prioritising households and essential sectors.
