Delhi Bar Leaders Call on Law Minister to Expand Pecuniary Jurisdiction of District Courts

New Delhi, May 24, 2025

In a significant move aimed at streamlining judicial processes and enhancing access to justice, leading figures of the Delhi Bar have formally urged the Union Law Minister to revise the pecuniary jurisdiction limits of the capital’s district courts.

The request was made during a high-level meeting held earlier this week, where senior advocates and representatives from the Bar Council of Delhi presented a memorandum seeking legislative action to raise the existing threshold for civil matters handled by the district judiciary.

Currently, the pecuniary jurisdiction of Delhi’s district courts is capped at ₹2 crore for civil cases. The bar leaders argue that this limit, last revised in 2015, no longer reflects current economic realities, especially given inflation, increased property values, and the growing complexity of civil litigation.

“There is a pressing need to increase the pecuniary jurisdiction to at least ₹5 crore,” said Advocate Ramesh Gupta, a senior member of the Delhi High Court Bar Association. “This move will decongest the High Court and ensure that litigants have quicker access to justice at the district level.”

The proposal has found support among many in the legal community, including trial court lawyers who feel that the change would not only bring parity with other metropolitan jurisdictions but also empower district judges to handle more substantial matters.

According to the Bar Council, raising the threshold would also lessen the burden on the already overloaded Delhi High Court, which frequently handles matters that district courts could reasonably adjudicate if not for the pecuniary limits currently in place.

In the memorandum, bar leaders cited successful models in cities like Mumbai and Bengaluru, where recent reforms have helped optimize the judicial workload across court levels. Delhi, being the national capital, faces an exceptionally high volume of civil litigation, making the need for reform more urgent.

Legal experts also point out that modernizing the pecuniary framework aligns with the government’s broader goal of judicial efficiency and “ease of doing business,” as companies and individuals alike face fewer delays in civil litigation.

A senior official at the Ministry of Law and Justice, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the proposal is under consideration. “We understand the concerns and are evaluating how such a move can be implemented in consultation with the judiciary,” the official said.

The Law Minister is expected to meet with judicial stakeholders and the Delhi High Court administration in the coming weeks to further deliberate on the matter.

If accepted, the proposal could mark a landmark shift in Delhi’s judicial landscape and serve as a model for other high-density legal jurisdictions across India.

For now, the legal fraternity in Delhi watches and waits, hopeful that their plea will translate into policy reform — and ultimately, faster and more equitable justice for all.