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A Supreme Court bench of Justices Chandrachud and AS Bopanna today urged petitioners challenging allotment of chambers in the newly constructed Supreme Court building to place their grievance with regard to the issue of allotment before the committee looking into it. The court, has adjourned the plea by 2 weeks. While passing the above order, Justice Chandrachud recollected that he worked out of a 120 Sq Ft chamber when he was the Additional Solicitor General of India. 

On July 19, 2022, the administration general branch of Supreme Court of India, released a list of of 468 lawyers, eligible for  allotment of 234 new Lawyers Chambers in the newly constructed D Block. According to the notice, the first 234 proposed allottees were permitted to choose one co-allottee from amongst the remaining members of the list before July 27,2022. In the event that the lawyers did not choose co-allottees, the remaining blocks of two seats per Chamber will be allotted to the members from the provisional eligibility list by a draw of lots that will be done by August 3, 2022. 

The petitioner has contended that the chambers allotted were too small to be shared by two laweyrs and should be allotted for single occupancy only.The court opined that when a chamber is twin sharing, it will ensure that twice the number of lawyers are allotted the chambers especially in a city like Delhi. The bench remarked, that  petitioner’s actions might hurt members of the bar.

Justice Chandrachud said, “There are lawyers waiting for chambers since 1975. When you say single allotment, automatically the lawyers are cut to half. You must also look at how difficult this will be as opposed to people sitting outside in the Delhi heat.” 

Senior counsel Shekhar Naphde, appearing for the respondents, said that famous lawyers like Fali Nariman and Nani Palkhiwala used to hold conferences in the hallways of the court. Justice Chandrachud, made it clear that cancelling allotments now or reverting to single allotment would cause more harm as many allottees will lose out on their allotment.

Senior Advocate, PS Patwalia, appearing for the petitioner, pressed the court to pass and interim order staying the allotment of chambers.

However, the Court, however, refused his request. The court, thus adjourned the plea by two weeks after the petitioner informed the court that they will file a written representation before the committee.

Case title: Amboj Kumar Sinha Vs Supreme Court of India