In a formal appeal to the Registrar General of the Gujarat High Court, an advocate and former executive member of the Ahmedabad Criminal Courts Bar Association, has urgently requested the installation of air-conditioning units within the metropolitan court complexes in the city.
The appeal has been submitted by advocate Brij Kella, former executive member of the Ahmedabad Criminal Court Bar Association, for Metropolitan Magistrate Courts at Apna Bazar, which primarily hear Negotiable Instruments Act matters, and the Chief Judicial Courts at Gheekanta. While many courtrooms in these facilities are already air conditioned for judicial officers, the common areas and bar rooms used daily by advocates remain without climate control.
According to the submission, the absence of cooling infrastructure affects a substantial legal community: approximately 6,500 advocates are registered with the Ahmedabad criminal courts, with nearly 3,000 practising on site each day. In addition, the court compounds accommodate 8,000-10,000 daily visitors, including litigants, police personnel and staff.
Kella pointed out that rising temperatures over the past decade have made the period from April 15 to July 15 particularly hazardous. Unlike other judicial forums, criminal courts do not recess for summer, compelling lawyers to work through peak heat conditions. The letter notes frequent medical emergencies among advocates, like vomiting, dizziness and elevated blood pressure, attributable to the climate.
While acknowledging the government's broader efforts to modernise judicial infrastructure, the appeal stresses that the four large bar rooms serving over 1,500 regular practitioners must be prioritised. The letter concludes with a plea for immediate installation of air conditioning to safeguard health and ensure a professional working environment for the legal fraternity.