Delhi HC issues notice on ACs in two district courts

The Delhi High Court Wednesday issued notice to two district court judges over a plea seeking directions for installing air conditioners in the two court complexes.

A division bench of Chief Justice G. Rohini and Justice Rajiv Sahai Endlaw sought a response from the district judges of the Tis Hazari and Patiala House courts on the plea and fixed the matter for Feb 25.

The public interest litigation filed by advocate Amit Sahni said air conditioners have become a basic necessity for efficient working and have been installed in all government and private sector offices in the last decade.

The petition said all courts in Delhi, except Tis Hazari and Patiala House, had centralised air conditioning.

It said that except for 2-3 months, the weather in Delhi was such that without air conditioners it becomes very difficult to work efficiently as one keeps on sweating all the time.

The courts functioning without air conditioners were creating unhealthy and inefficient working conditions, which in turn was harassing litigants, court staff, counsel and presiding officers.

The petitioner said he had filed a Right to Information application for seeking information in this regard but the reply said there were no written guidelines regarding installation of air conditioners.

The RTI reply, however, said work was in progress in this regard, he added.

Air conditioners in all court rooms in the two courts should be installed immediately so that people do not suffer, he requested.