Kapil Gupta v. Govt. Of NCT Of Delhi
$~92 * IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI + W.P.(C) 9138/2025, CM APPL. 38810/2025 KAPIL GUPTA .....Petitioner Through:
Mr. Aditya Laroiya, Mr. Payal Gupta, Mr. Kustubh Singh and Mr. Rony John, Advocates.
versus GOVT. OF NCT OF DELHI .....Respondent Through:
Mr.
Sameer Vashisht, Standing Counsel for GNCTD.
CORAM:
HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SACHIN DATTA % 07.07.2025
O R D E R
CM APPL. 38811/2025 (Exemption) 1.
Allowed, subject to all just exceptions.
2.
The application stands disposed of.
W.P.(C) 9138/2025 1.
The present petition has been filed by the petitioner seeking the following prayer:
"a. Issue an appropriate writ, order or direction directing the Respondent to extend the last date for submission of applications pursuant to Notice/Circular dated 23.05.2025 and 19.06.2025 for empanelment as Counsel for Govt. of NCT of Delhi." 2.
The present petition has been filed in the backdrop of a notice dated 23.05.2025, issued by the Department of Law, Justice and Legislative Affairs, Government of NCT of Delhi inviting applications for 'Empanelment as Government Counsel in Delhi High Court (Civil), District Courts, NGT and ATVAT/GSTAT & High Court of Delhi (for tax related matters) for GNCT of Delhi'. The last day for desirous and eligible The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above.
candidates to apply for the said empanelment was 10.06.2025 at 6:00 pm. Subsequently, by way of a further notice dated 19.06.2025, the deadline was extended till 27.06.2025. The notice dated 19.06.2025 reads as under: The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above.
3.
The limited grievance canvassed by the petitioner in the present proceeding is that the notice dated 19.06.2025 was uploaded on the website of the High Court of Delhi only on 25.06.2025, thereby affording the prospective applicants merely two days to complete the application process. 4.
The learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the petitioner, a practicing advocate with nearly two decades of standing at the Bar fulfils the eligibility criteria for empanelment and that the petitioner suffered prejudice due to the limited window between the publication of the extension notice on the website of High Court of Delhi and the revised deadline. 5.
It is further submitted that the subsequent extension of deadline only came to the knowledge of the petitioner on 01.07.2025 and subsequent The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above.
thereto the petitioner on the very same day filed a representation to the respondent/ Govt. of NCT of Delhi, seeking further extension of time. However, the respondent failed to respond.
6.
In the aforesaid circumstances, the petitioner has filed the present petition seeking to direct the respondent to extent the last date for submission of applications for Empanelment of Government Counsel in Delhi High Court (Civil), District Courts, NGT and ATVAT/GSTAT & High Court of Delhi (for tax related matters) for the GNCT of Delhi. 7.
Learned counsel for the respondent vehemently opposes the submissions made on behalf of the petitioner, contending that the notice dated 19.06.2025 was published in the leading newspapers on 20.06.2025 and thus, widely circulated.
8.
Be that as it may, it is noticed that the notice dated 19.06.2025 was uploaded on the official website of the High Court of Delhi only on 25.06.2025, as substantiated by Annexure P-3 appended to the present petition. Moreover, it would only be to the benefit of the Government of NCT of Delhi if it has a wider pool of experienced counsel, for the purpose of drawing a panel.
9.
In the circumstances, considering the limited relief sought by the petitioner, and in interest of ensuring fairness and equal opportunity to all eligible applicants, the respondent/ Law Department, Govt. of NCT of Delhi is directed to grant a further extension upto 01.08.2025 for submission of online applications. The timeline for completion of the process of empanelment is directed to be correspondingly extended to accommodate the said extension of time for receiving applications from prospective applicants.
The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above.
10.
The Registrar General, Delhi High Court is also directed to ensure that the notice as regards the said extension is published without any delay on the website of High Court of Delhi.
11.
The petition is disposed of in the above terms. All the related/ pending applications, if any, also stand disposed of. SACHIN DATTA, J JULY 7, 2025/ss, sl The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above.