Supreme Court Orders Uttarakhand High Court Shift To Haldwani

The Supreme Court has mandated the relocation of the Uttarakhand High Court from Nainital to Haldwani, setting aside a 2024 High Court order that had stalled the process. A bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant directed the State government to hand over the identified plot in Haldwani to the High Court on an as-is, where-is basis within six weeks. The court emphasized that the decision-making process for infrastructure should remain on the administrative side rather than being subjected to judicial proceedings.

The move to shift the High Court had been a point of contention for years, with the High Court previously rejecting the state government's land proposal in Golapar. The High Court had cited concerns over the deforestation of the site and the potential impact on local trees, while also expressing the need for wider public and lawyer input through a referendum. The Supreme Court's intervention now effectively ends the need for a referendum, focusing instead on the administrative necessity of upgrading infrastructure.

The shift is intended to resolve long-standing issues such as traffic congestion, inadequate connectivity, and high living costs for litigants and junior lawyers in Nainital. By finalizing the land transfer, the Supreme Court aims to provide a stable, long-term solution for judicial infrastructure in Uttarakhand. Future steps will require the state to issue formal transfer notifications within eight weeks, allowing for the construction of the new judicial complex in Haldwani while preserving the surrounding greenery.