The Department of Law, Justice and Legislative Affairs, Government of NCT of Delhi, has formally notified an increase in remuneration for law researchers working with judges of the Delhi High Court. The stipend has been revised from ₹65,000 to ₹80,000 per month, effective September 2, 2025.
The notification, issued on September 8, comes on the eve of further hearings in a pending petition concerning the same issue before the Delhi High Court.
It may be recalled that in 2023, the High Court had approved an enhancement of remuneration for law researchers with retrospective effect from October 1, 2022. However, the Delhi Government’s notification now provides only for prospective application of the revised pay.
Earlier, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta had announced the revision during the launch of several digital initiatives of the Delhi High Court, including the e-HRMS Portal for Judicial Officers, e-Office Pilot Project, and the Delhi High Court Mobile App. The CM had also declared a budget allocation of ₹540 crore towards judicial infrastructure and accommodation, adding that each judge would be supported by four law researchers remunerated at ₹80,000 per month.
The controversy surrounding the implementation of the pay hike remains pending adjudication. The petition titled Rushant Malhotra & Ors. v. GNCTD & Ors. is under consideration before a Division Bench of Justice Prathiba M Singh and Justice Rajneesh Kumar Gupta. The petitioners, comprising thirteen researchers who worked between 2018 and 2025, have sought enforcement of the High Court’s 2023 approval of the revised remuneration.
During the previous hearing on August 21, the Delhi Government had submitted that the proposal was under active consideration by the competent authority and assured that a decision would be taken within ten days. The matter is scheduled for further proceedings today, September 9, 2025.
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