Delhi High Court Lawyers Suspend Strike Over Jurisdiction Proposal

The Delhi High Court Bar Association (DHCBA) suspended its strike on Thursday, July 16, 2026, with lawyers scheduled to resume work on Friday. The protest began on July 14 as a boycott of judicial work to oppose a proposal by the Delhi High Court Full Court to increase the pecuniary jurisdiction of district courts from Rs 2 crore to Rs 10 crore.

DHCBA President N Hariharan personally appealed to advocates in courtrooms and via video conferencing during the initial boycott, warning that the change would reduce the High Court's original civil jurisdiction and threaten lawyers' livelihoods. The association later extended the abstention to July 15, instructing members to avoid both physical and virtual hearings.

The strike ended after a meeting with Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal and assurances from Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya. Upadhyaya invited the DHCBA Executive Committee to submit a formal representation on the matter. While the strike is suspended, the DHCBA maintains its opposition to the proposal and intends to pursue the issue through further dialogue.