Taking strong exception to the prolonged delay in completion of Gurugram district judiciary’s new court complex — the “Tower of Justice” — the Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed the Haryana Government to complete the project and hand over the building to the district judiciary by June 19, failing which contempt proceedings would be initiated against the Chief Secretary and Engineer-in-Chief.
The stern direction came from a Division Bench headed by Chief Justice Sheel Nagu, which observed that the court had itself taken suo motu cognisance of the delay in construction of the new district courts complex at Gurugram and noted that the project continued to “hang fire” despite repeated timelines furnished by the State.
During the hearing, Chief Justice Sheel Nagu remarked that the project had remained incomplete for years. Referring to the prolonged delay, the Bench observed that the work had been pending for “eight-nine years”.
The Bench noted that the State of Haryana had, on earlier occasions, issued multiple timelines for completion of the project, but the building was yet to be handed over to the district judiciary.
The court recalled that on the previous hearing on April 29, it had already warned the State that coercive steps could be taken if the work was not completed by May 15.
“On the last occasion… we had directed that in case the work of Tower of Justice is not completed by the 15th of May, we may take coercive steps against the Chief Secretary to the Government, Haryana,” the Bench recorded.
At the hearing, the counsel appearing for Haryana sought additional time. After obtaining instructions from the State functionaries, including the Engineer-in-Chief, personally present in court, the law officer referred to “certain practical difficulties” and repeatedly requested extension of time, even pleading for time till June 25 or June 30.
The Bench, however, made it clear that it was not concerned with administrative difficulties.
The Bench eventually ordered: “We direct the State to complete the Tower of Justice and hand over the same to the District and Sessions Judge, Gurugram, latest by June 19, failing which this court shall issue contempt notice against the Chief Secretary to the Government of Haryana and also against the Engineer-in-Chief.”
The matter was ultimately adjourned with the court taking the State’s reply on record and granting a limited indulgence subject to payment of Rs 10,000 as costs.
