The Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed the immediate relocation of the Gurugram District Courts to the newly constructed Tower of Justice, holding that the pressing need to restore normal judicial functioning outweighs the pending completion of certain formalities at the new premises.
A Division Bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra and Justice Rohit Kapoor passed the order while hearing a suo motu matter initiated to monitor the prolonged delay in completing the judicial complex.
The Court observed that judicial work in Gurugram has been severely disrupted following a devastating fire at the existing district court complex. Since the incident, courts have been operating from a temporary guest house, limiting proceedings largely to urgent matters.
Describing the circumstances as exceptional, the Bench held that any further postponement in shifting the courts would adversely affect litigants and the justice delivery system.
“Considering the peculiar facts prevailing at the District Judgeship, Gurugram, where the judicial work is severely curtailed, we are of the view that the shifting of the District Judgeship, Gurugram to the New Judicial Courts Complex, Gurugram (Tower of Justice) at Gurugram is inevitable in the predominant public interest,” the Court observed.
Accordingly, the Bench authorised the State to relocate the courts without waiting for the final statutory approvals from the Fire Department and the Pollution Control Board. It also allowed preparations for the formal inauguration of the complex to continue while directing authorities to complete all pending compliances without delay.
The inauguration of the Tower of Justice is scheduled for July 12, with Chief Justice of India Surya Kant expected to attend the event.
Inspection exposed unfinished work
Although the Haryana Public Works Department (PWD) informed the Court that construction had been fully completed and the building was ready for occupation, the High Court sought an independent assessment before accepting the claim.
The District and Sessions Judge, Gurugram, was asked to inspect the premises on July 1 and July 2. The inspection report highlighted several unfinished interior and exterior works, while noting that essential courtroom furniture had yet to be installed.
The report also recorded that heavy rainfall on July 7 led to flooding in the basement after the sewerage system malfunctioned. Additionally, mandatory fire safety clearance and environmental approval from the Pollution Control Board were still awaited.
During the hearing, the Court questioned the State regarding these shortcomings.
On Thursday, the Engineer-in-Chief of the Haryana PWD appeared personally before the Bench and filed an affidavit assuring that all remaining defects would be rectified immediately. The official also stated that applications for the required statutory clearances had already been submitted and approvals were expected shortly.
Taking note of these assurances, the Court concluded that delaying the relocation until every approval was formally granted would only prolong the hardship faced by litigants and court staff.
The Bench remarked that, under ordinary circumstances, it would have preferred to wait for all statutory requirements to be completed. However, given the near standstill in judicial work at the temporary premises, immediate shifting was found to be in the larger public interest.
Project delayed for years
The Tower of Justice project was announced by the Haryana government in 2017. Spread across nearly seven acres in Gurugram and estimated to cost around ₹133 crore, it was envisioned as one of North India’s largest judicial complexes, featuring 55 courtrooms and modern infrastructure.
The complex consists of two centrally air-conditioned towers with seven and eight floors respectively. Plans include facilities such as a district bar library, mediation centre, bank, post office, canteen, conference halls, offices for the District Attorney, dedicated rooms for investigating officers, video conferencing facilities, disabled-friendly infrastructure and multi-level parking.
Construction of the project was inaugurated in January 2017 and was originally expected to be completed by October 2020. However, repeated delays pushed the completion timeline back by several years, prompting the High Court to initiate suo motu proceedings in April 2026 to monitor its progress.
The urgency of completing the shift increased after the fire at the old court complex destroyed a substantial number of judicial records and rendered large portions of the building unsafe for occupation, forcing the entire district judiciary to function from temporary premises.
The High Court has now directed the Haryana government to submit a detailed compliance report confirming completion of the relocation as well as receipt of the pending statutory approvals. The matter has been listed for further consideration on July 21, 2026.
