New Delhi, Sep 21: The Delhi High Court on Monday added seven judges to its bench, with the appointments aimed at strengthening the court’s capacity to deal with its substantial workload and pending cases.The newly appointed judges were elevated from the Delhi judicial service. Nivedita Anil Sharma and Nisha Sahay Saxena have been appointed as permanent judges, while Sanjay Sharma, Bharat Parashar, Dr Aditi Choudhary, Dinesh Bhatt and Arun Bhardwaj have been appointed as additional judges, according to the report.
Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya administered the oath of office to the newly appointed judges at a ceremony attended by sitting judges, lawyers, court officials and family members of the appointees.
The appointments come as the Delhi High Court continues to handle a wide range of matters, including constitutional cases, criminal appeals, commercial disputes, civil litigation and cases involving government authorities.
The seven judges have extensive experience in Delhi’s subordinate judiciary, having served in various senior judicial positions before their elevation to the High Court.
Their experience includes handling criminal trials, civil disputes, evidence-related matters, administrative cases and other proceedings at the district court level.With the latest appointments, the Delhi High Court’s working strength has increased to 50 judges, against a sanctioned strength of 60, according to the report.
Among the newly elevated judges, Arun Bhardwaj has also drawn attention because of his previous role as Registrar General of the Delhi High Court.
The position involves overseeing several important administrative functions of the court.The appointment of judges from the judicial service is also significant because it brings extensive trial-court experience to the High Court. Such experience involves dealing directly with witnesses, evidence and day-to-day courtroom procedures.
The increase in judicial strength is expected to provide additional benches and help the court manage its growing docket. However, the appointments alone are unlikely to eliminate pending cases, as case disposal also depends on the complexity of litigation, procedural requirements and the availability of other judicial resources.
The newly appointed judges will now take up their judicial responsibilities as per the roster assigned by the Chief Justice.The appointments mark another step towards filling vacancies in the Delhi High Court and strengthening its capacity to deal with the legal workload of the national capital.
