Mon Mar 31 20:31:51 UTC 2025: ## Delhi High Court Judges Face Severe Housing Shortage

**New Delhi, April 1, 2025** – A critical shortage of official housing for judicial officers in Delhi has left over half of the district judges without government accommodation, highlighting a long-standing issue that impacts their working conditions and well-being.

According to a March Delhi High Court document, only 348 residences are available for the sanctioned strength of 897 judicial officers, resulting in a deficit of 549 units. This shortfall, unchanged since 2018-19, forces many judges to endure lengthy commutes from areas like Faridabad, Noida, and Gurgaon due to unaffordable housing costs in Delhi. The house rent allowance (HRA) of approximately ₹21,000 for an entry-level judge is significantly less than the ₹50,000 monthly cost of modest rental properties in the city.

The situation has worsened with the addition of 126 new judicial officers. Despite past attempts to address the housing crisis, including a stalled project to build 70 flats in Dwarka (now slated for demolition and reconstruction of 86 flats), and the rejection of an alternative plot in Vishwas Nagar due to its congested location, the problem persists. A proposed one-hectare plot in Shahdara could accommodate 90 flats, but funding remains unapproved.

The Delhi High Court is currently reviewing two petitions filed by the Judicial Service Association of Delhi, seeking a resolution to the housing shortage. The association also urged the court to allow judges to apply for accommodations from central and state government housing pools. While the Delhi government pledged to address the funding issue, a planned meeting to allocate funds was postponed due to the Delhi Assembly elections and, according to the court, subsequent inaction. The court has now given the Delhi government additional time to finalize funding for the pending projects. The ongoing shortage is causing considerable distress and inconvenience to the judicial officers, impacting their professional lives and personal well-being.

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