$~19 * IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI + W.P.(C) 18071/2025 KARN BHARDWAJ .....Petitioner Through: Mr. Inderbir Singh Alag, Mr. Rajat Gaba, Mr. Shubham Singh and Mr. J.

S. Lamba, Advs.

versus GOVT. OF NCT OF DELHI & ORS. .....Respondent Through: Ms. Urvi Mohan and Mr. Shiven Verma, Advs.

CORAM:

HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SACHIN DATTA

O R D E R

% 28.11.2025 CM APPL. 74747/2025 (Exemption)

1. Allowed, subject to all just exceptions.

2. The application stands disposed of.

W.P.(C) 18071/2025

3. The present petition has been filed by the petitioner seeking that the Govt. of NCT of Delhi (GNCT) be directed to forthwith process and release the petitioner’s pending professional fee bills for legal services rendered in his capacity as Additional Standing Counsel, GNCTD.

4. It is submitted that the petitioner was appointed as Additional Standing Counsel-Civil, GNCTD vide notification no. F.5(625)/Lit./LJ&LA/2022/1705-1754 dated 04.03.2022. Under the applicable office memorandum issued by GNCTD, the petitioner was entitled to a retainership of Rs.90,000/-, secretarial assistance of Rs.30,000/-

and professional fees as per GNCTD approved schedules.

5. It is stated that although certain ad hoc payments were made to the petitioner between December 2022 and August 2025, substantial arrears of fee bills remain unpaid.

6. It is submitted that as many as 396 invoices have been submitted by the petitioner and the aggregate amount payable is to the tune of approximately more than Rs.70 Lakhs.

7. Attention is drawn to the order / communication dated 24.10.2025, issued by the Department of Law, Justice and Legislative Affairs, GNCTD.

The said communication reads as under :

“F.5(724)/LJ&LA/LJ/2024/9853-9902 dated 24.10.2025 To The all ACS/Pr. Secretaries/Secretaries/HODs Govt. of NCT of Delhi.

Delhi.

Sub.: Regarding pending fee bills submitted by empanelled advocates on Online Single Window System (OSWS) and issuance of BTFs.

Sir/Madam, I am directed to invite your kind attention that a CM application No.61323/2025 been filed in court case No. WPC No. 2506/2019 in the matter of Anjana Gosain Vs. GNCTD &Anr. In this matter Sh. Anuj Aggarwal and Sh. Udit Malik, both served as Addl. Standing Counsel, filed Affidavit regarding non-clearance of their bills, which are pending on OSWS portal and non issuance of BTF with various department of GNCTD. — Similarly, Advocate Sh. Naushad Ahmad Khan vide his email dated 01.10.2025 has also informed that his more than 500 bills are pending on OSWS portal. Apart from above Sh. KarnBhardwaj, Advocate vide his mail dated 06.10.2025 and dated 14.10.2025 has also raised the issue of pendency of bills of OSWS portal. The department wise break up of pending bills are also enclosed with the letter.

The CM application was listed for hearing on 25.09.2025.

Meanwhile, two separate CM applications having Nos. 65484/2025 & 65486/25 have also been filed seeking similar prayer of expeditious clearance of fee bills and issuance of pending BTFs. The matter are now listed for hearing on 04.11.2025, In this context, 1 am directed to draw your attention towards the repeated mails and letters sent by Law Department requesting therein to process the fee bill of Govt. Counsel pending on OS portal and request for BTF in the matters where BTFs are yet to be issued. Any Laxity in the matter may attract adverse direction from Hon’ble High Court of Delhi.

Therefore, it is again requested to issue necessary directions to pass/clear the fee bills through OSWS portal as per SOP of OSWS having Url-asws.delhi.gov.in within a week time. It is also requested to apply for BTFs in all pending matters where BTFs are yet to be issued.

Necessary instructions may please also be issued to concerned officer/official of the department to furnish Action Taken Report to Law Department on or before 30.10.2025 positively This issues with prior approval of Pr. Secretary (LJ&LA).

DEPUTY SECRETARY (LIT.)”

8. It is submitted that despite the aforesaid directions of the Department of Law