Punjab & Haryana High Court Forms Committee Including Sitting Judges, For Holistic Planning Of HC Building Expansion
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has constituted a committee comprising sitting judges to oversee the comprehensive planning and execution of its building expansion project.
Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Sanjiv Berry said, "The Administrative Committee shall comprise of two sitting Judges of this High Court (Senior of whom would preside over the Administrative Committee), with two representatives (nominated or elected) of the Bar Association. The U.T. Administration would be represented through its Chief Architect and the Chief Engineer. The Union of India shall be represented by Mr. Satya Pal Jain, Additional Solicitor General of India or his nominee."
The High Court be represented by the Registrar of the Building Committee and two Members (nominated or elected) of the High Court Employees Association be also included as a Member of the Committee, the Court added.
The development came after a resolution was passed on September 22 by the Punjab and Haryana High Court Bar Association General Body unanimously affirming that retaining the High Court at its present location is in the best interests of the legal fraternity.
The High Court is located in the capital city of Chandigarh at the foot hills of Shivalik Range. It was designed by the famous French architect Le Corbusier and thus boasts of being an 'architectural marvel'.
The Court while hearing the PIL, considering the increasing footfall and space constraints, had asked the Chandigarh UT Administration to explore alternative locations for the construction of a new High Court building.
It had directed the HCBA and the UT Administration to hold a joint meeting. On August 20, the Bar Association Executive Committee unanimously approved a resolution to shift the High Court to Chandigarh's Sarangpur village, where a new building would be constructed.
In the light of the above, the bench opined that to discuss, as to what would be the appropriate modifications in the attending facts and circumstances it would be appropriate to constitute an Administrative Committee comprising of representatives of all stake-holders involved.
"The aforesaid Administrative Committee should convene its meeting once every week, so that after deliberations on all aspects by taking into account inputs, furnished by all the stake-holders, a holistic view can be taken and the ultimate goal of executing the modified holistic plan can be achieved at the earliest," it added.
While listing the matter for October 17, the Court said, "the parties present today in the Court have agreed that the first meeting of the said Administrative Committee shall be held on 09.10.2025."
Title: Vinod Dhatterwal and others v. Union of India and others