Chandigarh, August 23, 2025 — The Chandigarh administration has informed the Punjab and Haryana High Court (HC) that there is no vacant space at the old secretariat building in Sector-9 that could accommodate additional HC branches.
UT’s senior standing counsel, Amit Jhanji, told the bench of Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Ramesh Kumari that inspections in 2023 and more recent checks confirmed that most of the available space has been occupied by various departments. Jhanji requested time to file an affidavit detailing the current situation. The court had earlier asked the UT to explore the possibility of allotting two floors of the old secretariat building for housing some HC branches.
The remarks came during the resumed hearing of a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by High Court Employees Association secretary Vinod Dhatterwal, which highlighted space constraints at the HC and the difficulties faced by employees, lawyers, and the public.
Two major proposals were discussed during the hearing: constructing a new HC complex at Sarangpur or providing additional space at the current complex. Additional Solicitor General Satya Pal Jain said, “Two meetings have taken place with UT officials. One proposal involves a six-storey block with three levels of basement parking opposite the Bar Association Hall, which could add 30–40 courtrooms. Approval from UNESCO would be required for this.”
Jain added that if the new complex is built at Sarangpur, the UT has promised to widen roads and construct a flyover at PGIMER Chowk to manage increased traffic.
Chief Justice Nagu instructed that the proposal for the Sarangpur complex be presented to the general house of the Bar, and the court be updated on the decision at the next hearing. The bench clarified that the court complex will not be shifted outside Chandigarh.
The existing complex is part of the Capitol Complex, a UNESCO heritage site, limiting construction to meet future demands. Proposed alternatives, including a 150-court facility in the IT Park area, remain under discussion, with the UT citing environmental concerns regarding that site.
The next hearing has been scheduled for September 12.
