Delhi High Court Directs DDA to Resolve Long-Standing Disputes Amicably

The Delhi High Court recently directed the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to resolve its long-standing disputes swiftly and amicably

Justice Dharmesh Sharma instructed every lawyer on the DDA’s panel in the Delhi High Court to identify at least 10 cases and focus on issues related to property mutation/demarcation, conversion from leasehold to freehold, flat allotments, and unauthorized constructions or deviations from sanctioned plans.

The Court also ordered the DDA Vice Chairman to form a review committee. Panel lawyers are required to submit their recommendations in sealed envelopes to the committee, which will then gather input from various departmental officials, review the cases, and consider resolving them through Lok Adalats or the Delhi High Court Mediation and Conciliation Centre.

The review committee is expected to meet regularly, either weekly or biweekly, according to the Court’s instructions.

“As a sanction in these contempt proceedings, the contemnor is directed to form a Review Committee by September 4, 2024. The committee should solicit inputs from Panel Lawyers by September 7, 2024, and hold daily meetings for at least one hour from September 9, 2024. A final proposal for amicable dispute resolution, case-by-case, must be submitted to the Secretary, Delhi High Court Legal Services Committee, by September 12, 2024. After submission, the cases may be scheduled for the upcoming Lok Adalat on September 14, 2024. The review committee should continue to meet regularly on a weekly basis after September 14, 2024,” the Court stated.

In cases where referral to Lok Adalat is not possible or negotiations spill over, or when notice to involved parties is lacking, the review committee may send the cases to the judge-in-charge of the Delhi High Court Mediation and Conciliation Centre for amicable resolution.

These directions were issued in response to a contempt of court petition against the DDA. While the Court discharged the DDA officials from contempt, it noted significant delays and a flood of unnecessary cases that have made the DDA one of the country’s largest litigants.

Advocates Dilip Singh and R. Karthik represented Bimla Sachdev, who filed the contempt petition. Senior Advocate Arvind Varma, along with advocates Shobhana Takiar, Smridihi Sharma, and Kuljeet Singh, represented the DDA.

(With inputs from agency)