Supreme Court Rejects SCBA's Plea to Convert Entire 1.33-Acre Land into Lawyers' Chamber Block

New Delhi, March 23, 2023 - In a recent judgment, the Supreme Court of India has dismissed a petition filed by the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) seeking the conversion of an entire 1.33-acre tract of land near ITO into a chamber block for lawyers. The land was initially allotted by the Union Government for the construction of an archival block for the Supreme Court.

The SCBA also requested the conversion of the entire area around the Supreme Court into a Supreme Court Complex to utilize all buildings across the Supreme Court on Bhagwan Das Road for conversion into lawyers' chambers. Additionally, the petitioner sought the allotment of a government bungalow currently occupied by the Foreign Correspondents’ Club.

The Court observed that the issues raised in the petition cannot be resolved by judicial standards and should be addressed on the administrative side of the Supreme Court. The Court emphasized the importance of considering the needs and interests of all stakeholders, including lawyers, litigants, and the Supreme Court staff, when allocating available resources.

While the Court did not grant the reliefs sought in the petition, it left the matter open for the Supreme Court's administrative side to make appropriate decisions, taking into account the needs of the institution and its stakeholders. The Court also allowed the SCBA, Supreme Court Advocates on Record Association (SCAORA), and the Bar Council of India (BCI) to address the issue with their representations on the administrative side.

Supreme Court Bar Association  Vs Ministry of Urban Development & Ors.