The Supreme Court has adjourned a petition requesting the Ministry of Urban Development for converting land measuring 1.33 acres that was recently allotted to the Top Court, near ITO into chamber blocks for lawyers.
A Bench of Chief Justice of India UU Lalit and Justice Ravindra Bhat have posted the petition moved by the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) to next hearing.
The SCBA has requested that the Senior Advocate Vikas Singh would be arguing the matter himself.
The Bench questioned “Can office bearers appear as a counsel? Bar Council of India does not permit that
The bench did not give the order at the moment and the advocate from SCBA has ben requested to have the matter taken up next week.
The plea says that out of the 1.33 acres of land which was allotted to the Supreme Court only 0.5 acres has been earmarked for the chamber blocks for lawyers and with that only 400-500 chambers can be made.
The plea further reads that the land measuring 1.33 acres is the only land which is vacant and available near the Apex Court and should be completely utilized for constructing chamber blocks for lawyers.
The plea says that the members of Petitioner Association are indispensable part of administration and chambers will help them in extending more support to the judiciary.
The petition asks for the entire area surrounding the Supreme Court be declared as a Supreme Court Complex in consultation with the Ministry of Urban Development.
They also want that all the buildings across Supreme Court on Bhagwan Das Road which include
1.The Foreign Correspondence Club,
2.Indian Law Institute (ILI),
3.Indian Society of International Law (ISIL) etc.to be utilized either for conversion into chambers or for re-development as chamber block for the use of the Apex Court.