Jurisdiction row: Delhi HC lawyers call off work abstention for now after meet with minister

The DHCBA resolved to abstain from work on July 14 in view of the high court’s full court favouring the enhancement of pecuniary jurisdiction of the district courts.

| Photo Credit: The Hindu

Delhi High Court lawyers on Thursday (July 16, 2026) ended temporarily their abstention from work against a proposed enhancement in the pecuniary jurisdiction of district courts here from ₹2 crore to ₹10 crore.The Delhi High Court Bar Association said lawyers would resume work from Friday (July 17) in view of their meetings with the Union Law Minister Arjun Meghwal and Delhi High Court Chief Justice D.K. Upadhyaya.In a resolution passed on Thursday (July 16), the Bar Association thanked its members for their full cooperation and said the "cause will, however, continue unabated."Lawyers had been abstaining from work in the high court since July 14.The resolution said the high court Chief Justice has sought representation from the Bar Association.Enhancement of the district courts' pecuniary jurisdiction, or financial limit, to ₹20 crore has been a long-pending demand of the Coordination Committee of All District Court Bar Associations of Delhi.The high court bar association has opposed the move, claiming it would impact the lawyers' practice, livelihood, and professional interests.At present, the high court hears civil and commercial matters valued above ₹2 crore. With the proposed change, district courts will be able to hear cases valued up to ₹10 crore.The DHCBA resolved to abstain from work on July 14 in view of the high court's full court favouring the enhancement of pecuniary jurisdiction of the district courts.In the resolution passed by its executive committee on July 13, the association said the proposed enhancement would substantially impact the justice delivery system, as well as the practice, livelihood and professional interest of a large number of its members because it would reduce the cases in the high court by nearly 70%.On July 10, a high court division bench of Justices Anil Kshetarpal and Tejas Karia dismissed its plea seeking a stay on the presentation of the "Pecuniary Jurisdiction Report" before the full court following the district court coordination committee's representation on the issue.According to the DHCBA, the high court could not have acted on the representation, as the power to enhance the pecuniary jurisdiction was with Parliament since it involved amending the Delhi High Court Act. Published - July 17, 2026 07:31 am IST