The Delhi High Court has recently issued directives to the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to expedite the resolution of its long-standing disputes in a prompt and amicable manner.
Justice Dharmesh Sharma has instructed each lawyer on the DDA’s panel at the Delhi High Court to identify at least 10 cases and narrow down the issues to key areas: property mutation/demarcation, conversion from leasehold to freehold, flat allotment, and unauthorized constructions or deviations from sanctioned plans.
Additionally, the Bench has directed the DDA Vice Chairman to establish a review committee. Panel counsel for the DDA are required to submit their recommendations in a sealed cover to this committee. The committee will gather input from various department officials, review the recommendations, and explore resolution options through Lok Adalats or the Delhi High Court Mediation and Conciliation Centre.
The Court has mandated that the review committee meet regularly, either weekly or bi-weekly. It further specified a timeline for the committee’s actions:
September 4, 2024: Constitution of the Review Committee
September 7, 2024: Invitation of inputs from panel lawyers
September 9, 2024: Commencement of daily meetings, each lasting at least one hour
September 12, 2024: Submission of a final proposal for dispute resolution to the Secretary of the Delhi High Court Legal Services Committee
September 14, 2024: Consideration of matters in the upcoming Lok Adalat
Post September 14, 2024, the review committee will continue to hold weekly meetings. If matters are not suitable for Lok Adalat or if negotiations extend beyond expectations, the committee may refer cases to the Delhi High Court Mediation and Conciliation Centre for resolution.
The Court has also ordered the compilation of a monthly balance sheet to analyze referrals and settlements.
These directives were issued in response to a contempt of court plea against the DDA. Although the Court discharged the DDA officials from contempt charges, it noted significant delays and an influx of unnecessary cases, highlighting the DDA as one of the largest litigants in the country.
Advocates Dilip Singh and R. Karthik represented Bimla Sachdev in the contempt petition, while Senior Advocate Arvind Varma, along with Shobhana Takiar, Smridihi Sharma, and Kuljeet Singh, appeared for the DDA.
