Shimla, Oct 6
Himachal Pradesh High Court has impleaded the Union Ministry of Law and Justice as a respondent in proceedings concerning the development of judicial infrastructure in the state, after the Centre failed to respond to repeated requests from the Himachal Pradesh government for additional funds for the newly inaugurated Judicial Court Complex at Kangnidhar in Mandi.
A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice G.S. Sandhawalia and Justice Bipin C. Negi, passed this order on September 30 hearing a suo motu public interest litigation, directed the Union government to take steps to provide additional funds for the Mandi complex by the next date of hearing.
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The State government informed the court that it had requested the Government of India on May 2, 2026, to enhance the annual allocation under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) for judicial infrastructure in district and subordinate courts and to provide an additional Rs 50 crore. The request was also followed up through communications dated September 5 and September 11, but there had been no response.
The State submitted that the newly inaugurated judicial complex at Kangnidhar, Mandi, for which the Chief Justice of India had laid the foundation stone, has an estimated cost of Rs 152.59 crore. The requirement had been communicated to the Union Law Minister through a letter dated April 27, 2026.
The court noted that a letter dated June 2, 2026, from the Union Law Minister to the Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister showed that only Rs 5.195 crore had been allocated to the state during the financial year 2026-27. The Centre had stated that further release of funds would be examined after utilisation of the amount already allocated and also pointed out that the CSS did not cover the project in its entirety.
The State also placed before the court a subsequent communication dated September 28 from the Union Ministry of Law and Justice, stating that seven projects were ongoing in Himachal Pradesh and Rs 10.39 crore had been allotted. A mother sanction of Rs 5.195 crore had been issued on May 13, while expenditure of Rs 2.58 crore had been incurred. The Centre asked the state to complete ongoing projects and submit bills for eligible projects expeditiously.
The State counsel, however, submitted that ten projects had been listed in the affidavit, including those at Nahan, Sarahan, Banjar, Mandi, Nalagarh, Karsog, Kangnidhar and Rampur Bushahr, and substantial investment would be required particularly for the Mandi project.
Taking note of the fact that the Mandi complex is a new district-level judicial complex and that Mandi is an important district headquarters, the Bench impleaded the Union of India, Ministry of Law and Justice, through its Secretary, as respondent No. 6. Deputy Solicitor General Balram Sharma appeared for the newly impleaded respondent and waived notice.
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The Bench directed the Union of India to provide additional funds for the Mandi complex by the next date of hearing and listed the matter for November 30, 2026.
The court also took up the issue of funds for maintenance of residential and non-residential government buildings. The State claimed that Rs 572.43 crore had been provided through additional funds, taking the total to Rs 623.71 crore for 2026-27. The Bench, however, sought a further affidavit from the State on whether the funds had actually been deposited with the concerned department and utilised during the current financial year.
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