Delhi LG nod for 427 ancillary posts in Delhi judicial service

New DelhiLieutenant governor (LG) Taranjit Singh Sandhu has approved the creation of 427 ancillary posts for 53 newly created courts of the Delhi Higher Judicial Service (DHJS), which will facilitate the setting up of fast-track special courts in the Capital, according to officials from the LG’s office

New Delhi

The approval comes amid a shortage of court staff in Delhi’s district judiciary, with 1,711 posts vacant against a sanctioned strength of 8,575. (Representative photo)

Lieutenant governor (LG) Taranjit Singh Sandhu has approved the creation of 427 ancillary posts for 53 newly created courts of the Delhi Higher Judicial Service (DHJS), which will facilitate the setting up of fast-track special courts in the Capital, according to officials from the LG’s office..

The approval comes amid a shortage of court staff in Delhi’s district judiciary, with 1,711 posts vacant against a sanctioned strength of 8,575, according to the response to an RTI query posted by HT last month.

“The creation of the ancillary posts will entail an estimated financial implication of ₹37.37 crore. The proposal was examined by the administrative reforms department in consultation with the law department before being considered by the finance department, which concurred with the proposal, subject to a condition concerning existing vacancies,” said an official from the LG’s office.

The staffing shortage has been reported across several categories, including senior and junior judicial assistants.

According to officials, the 427 posts will comprise 58 readers/senior judicial assistants, 58 senior personal assistants (stenographers), 58 personal assistants (stenographers), 58 ahlmads/judicial assistants, 58 assistant ahlmads/junior judicial assistants, 20 staff car drivers and 117 multi-tasking staff. The sanctioned numbers include a 10% leave reserve across categories.

The finance department has stipulated that 243 vacant ancillary posts in the currently operational 415 courts should be filled expeditiously and on priority, before the newly approved posts are operationalised. The condition links the expansion of the court infrastructure with filling vacancies in the existing judicial establishments.

The 53 DHJS entry-level judge posts for the proposed fast-track special courts had already been created with the LG’s approval last month.

The move comes against the backdrop of mounting staffing pressure in Delhi’s district courts. The RTI response cited by HT showed that 6,864 officials were in position as of June 30, 2026, leaving 1,711 posts vacant. Among the vacancies were all 10 sanctioned posts of senior administrative officer and 45 of the 50 sanctioned administrative officer (judicial) posts. There were also 277 vacancies among 709 sanctioned senior judicial assistant posts and 454 vacancies among 1,662 junior judicial assistant posts.

The district courts’ pendency also rose from 1,063,202 cases at the end of 2009 to 1,685,990 as of May 31, 2026, according to the RTI response.

Arun Yadav, general secretary of the district and sessions Courts Employees’ Welfare Association, said, “We thank honourable LG and law minister Kapil Mishra for acceding to our request... after persistent efforts made for but the same will help in practical only if all vacant posts are filled so that JJAs and JAs who are waiting for promotion for 18 to 20 years get some relief. We will request honourable chief justice to issue necessary directions to fill all vacant posts immediately”.