HC seeks govt records on creation of new districts

A bench of Chief Justice D Murugesan and Justice Rajiv Sahai Endlaw asked the government to apprise it of the rationale behind carving of 11 new districts out of the existing nine and their reshuffling by January 7, 2013.

Seeking the records on formation of new districts, the bench asked Standing Counsel (Civil) Nazmi Waziri to place on record the files on the next date of hearing.

"On what basis the areas have been shifted to various districts and also attached to different courts?," the court asked.

The bench was hearing a petition by the Dwarka Court Bar Association through counsel H S Phoolka seeking quashing of the September 11 notification on the ground that the government's decision is against the policy of "justice at door step".

"The impugned notification is devoid of any logic or reason and has been in total arbitrariness as the impugned notification runs contrary to the respondents own policy of 'justice at door step'," the petition said.

According to the plea, the notification has taken out two pre-existing sub-divisions, Vasant Vihar and Delhi Cantt., from South West District and merged with New Delhi district.

"....Some areas which are part of these two sub-divisions and close proximity to the Dwarka court have been merged with New Delhi district.

"People residing in these areas would now be compelled to approach the district courts at Patiala House to seek redressal of their grievances," the bar association said. (MORE)