Supreme Court building to undergo expansion; CJI, Law Minister attend ground breaking ceremony

The Supreme Court building at Tilak Marg in New Delhi will undergo further expansion to accommodate court rooms.

Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud and Union Minister of State with independent charge of Law and Justice Ministry Arjun Ram Meghwal attended the ground breaking ceremony of the new building.

Sitting judges Justices Sanjiv Khanna, BR Gavai, Vikram Nath and BV Nagarathna and former apex court judge Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul also graced the occasion.

Union Power and Housing Minister Manohar Lal also attended the event.

The dignitaries used pickaxes at the site of the new building to mark the event.

Notably, the event began with the recitation of verses from the scriptures of four major religions in India.

The CJI was later seen posing for photographs with the spouses of the Supreme Court judges.

The new structure, spread over 86,000 square metres, will be built in two phases, the CJI revealed.

The first phase, spanning 38,250 square metres, is expected to take 29 months to complete. It will consist of two basements and a five-storey building.

The ground floor will be dedicated to utility spaces for lawyers, including a library, canteen, and offices for the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) and the Supreme Court Advocates-on-Record Association (SCAORA).

The upper floors will house courtrooms, court offices and chambers. A special 17-judge bench will be seated on the fifth floor.

The second phase will cover 48,250 square metres, featuring three and four-storey blocks. This phase will add 29 more courtrooms along with additional court offices and chambers.

“We are not just adding space but expanding to deliver justice timely,” said the CJI.

The CJI further highlighted the sustainable site planning, indoor air quality control and sourcing of local materials to ensure the project aligns with environmental goals. He also affirmed that the expansion will be inclusive for persons with disabilities with features such as automatic doors, adjustable furniture and accessible restrooms.

"This expansion shall serve as a living entity like our Constitution adapting to the needs of society holding firm to core values such as justice , liberty and equality. Today's event signifies not only physical expansion but to see it is responsive to the growing needs of the nation," the CJI remarked.