Patiala House Courts, beside India Gate in a former royal residence, are the district courts of the New Delhi district: Connaught Place, the government offices of central Delhi, Chanakyapuri's embassies, Lodhi Road and the neighbouring colonies. The complex is also known across India for cases investigated by central agencies and for hearings that draw the national media. Here is what is heard at Patiala House today, what has moved to Rouse Avenue, how business, cheque, bail and family matters run here, where to find free legal aid, how to track your case, and how to choose an advocate who appears here. Share your matter in the form and an enrolment-checked advocate can call you, at no charge to you.
Patiala House Courts, near India Gate (New Delhi 110001), are the district courts for Delhi's New Delhi district. The building was the residence of the Maharaja of Patiala, became a district court in 1978, and was rebuilt as a modern complex completed in 2007. Criminal cases from police stations in the New Delhi district, civil suits about property or parties there up to Rs 2 crore, family cases and accident claims are heard here. Many high-profile matters sit here too, though some special courts, including the NIA special court designated in 2013, are being shifted to Rouse Avenue under a July 2026 notification. Free legal aid is at the New Delhi DLSA in the pre-fabricated building on the ground floor (011-23072418). Check your court and date by CNR on the eCourts app.
| Location | Patiala House Courts Complex, near India Gate, New Delhi 110001 |
|---|---|
| District | New Delhi district |
| The building | Former residence of the Maharaja of Patiala in Lutyens' Delhi; sold to the Government of India after the abolition of privy purses |
| As a court | Used by the Delhi High Court earlier; a district court from 1978; criminal courts moved in from Parliament Street in March 1997; the present complex built from 2004 and completed in 2007 |
| Getting there | The nearest Metro stations are Supreme Court (formerly Pragati Maidan) on the Blue Line and Khan Market on the Violet Line, followed by a short auto ride |
| Legal aid | New Delhi DLSA, pre-fabricated building, ground floor; 011-23072418, 011-23071732, 9667992802; newdelhi-dlsa@nic.in; helpline 1516 |
| Official site | newdelhi.dcourts.gov.in, plus case search through eCourts on the web or phone |
| Lok Adalat | Sunday, 25 October 2026, among Delhi's seven district complexes |
| Working Saturday | 31 October 2026, under the Delhi High Court's notification of 18 September 2026 |
Patiala House was built as the Delhi residence of the Maharaja of Patiala, one of the princely houses around India Gate in the city that Edwin Lutyens planned. After privy purses were abolished in the early 1970s, the family sold the property to the Government of India. The Delhi High Court used it for a time, and from 1978 it became a district court. In March 1997 criminal courts that had been functioning from Parliament Street moved here. The old structure could not cope with the load, and a new complex was built between 2004 and 2007, with a main building and annexes, lock-up facilities and lawyers' chambers.
For a period Patiala House handled cases from several districts, including the south of the city, until the Saket complex opened in 2010 and took over the South and South East districts. Today it serves the New Delhi district, a compact but unusual area: it holds Parliament, ministries, the Supreme Court's neighbourhood, embassies and high commissions, Connaught Place's offices, and residential colonies of senior officials.
Indicatively, cases from these areas are heard at Patiala House:
Police station boundaries decide the district, so confirm through the police station on your FIR or the property's address on the eCourts portal. Areas like Karol Bagh go to Tis Hazari, Lajpat Nagar to Saket, and Vasant Vihar and Delhi Cantonment generally to Dwarka.
| Court | What it hears |
|---|---|
| Principal District and Sessions Judge (New Delhi) and Additional Sessions Judges | Trials of grave offences, appeals and revisions from magistrates, pre-arrest bail, and designated special matters |
| Chief Metropolitan Magistrate and Metropolitan Magistrates | Remand and bail, magistrate trials, complaint cases including those by government departments, domestic violence applications |
| Digital cheque courts | Three of Delhi's 34 courts for Negotiable Instruments Act complaints, set up in June 2025 |
| District and Additional District Judges | Money and property claims between Rs 3 lakh and Rs 2 crore, wills and succession, civil appeals |
| Civil Judges | Smaller claims, below the Rs 3 lakh mark |
| Commercial courts | Trade and contract claims worth Rs 3 lakh or more under the district ceiling, a large slice of work because of Connaught Place's offices |
| Family court | Matrimonial, maintenance and custody cases of the district |
| Motor Accident Claims Tribunal | Road accident compensation |
| Rent Controller | Delhi Rent Control Act cases, including old tenancies in Connaught Place and nearby markets |
Consumer complaints, labour disputes (now at Dwarka) and juvenile matters are heard elsewhere.
Patiala House has long been associated with cases investigated by national agencies and the Delhi Police's specialised units, because many of those cases were assigned to designated courts here. That role is gradually shifting to the newer Rouse Avenue complex.
If your case is a special case, check its current court number on the eCourts app before each date, because transfers can happen at short notice.
Patiala House draws advocates from across Delhi, from local practitioners who handle the New Delhi district's daily work to senior criminal lawyers who appear in high-profile matters. For most people, the best choice is an advocate who regularly appears before the court that has the case and who explains the plan honestly.
Check enrolment with the Bar Council of Delhi, get a written fee understanding, ask how you will be updated, and walk away from anyone who promises results or speaks of influence. More in how to choose an advocate.
On Mara Vakil, a brief note in the form above reaches Delhi advocates who handle your kind of matter, each with checked enrolment. Your phone number stays hidden until an advocate takes up the matter and rings you. Using Mara Vakil costs you nothing; the fee is settled between you and the advocate.
Connaught Place and the surrounding commercial streets host thousands of offices, shops, restaurants and showrooms. Their disputes form a distinctive part of Patiala House's work.
Claims between businesses worth Rs 3 lakh or more go to the commercial courts, subject to the Rs 2 crore line above which the Delhi High Court has original jurisdiction. Unless urgent relief is required, the Commercial Courts Act requires a mediation attempt through the legal services authority before filing, and written statements must be filed within strict time limits. Documents must be disclosed with the plaint.
Many shops and offices in Connaught Place were let decades ago at low rents and remain protected by the Delhi Rent Control Act. Landlords seeking possession file eviction petitions before the Rent Controller on grounds such as bona fide need, subletting or non-payment, and rent revision disputes are also common. Newer leases at market rents fall outside the Act and are enforced through civil or commercial suits.
Many commercial contracts in the area contain arbitration clauses. Court applications under the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, such as for interim measures or to challenge an award, go to the court with original jurisdiction over the dispute: the commercial court at district level for smaller claims, and the Delhi High Court above Rs 2 crore.
For invoices and written contracts, the fast-track procedure of Order XXXVII CPC makes the debtor seek the court's permission before contesting, and that permission needs a real defence. A legal notice first often produces payment. See legal notice and corporate lawyers in Delhi.
A person arrested by a police station in the New Delhi district is produced at Patiala House before the magistrate attached to that station within 24 hours, or before the duty magistrate on holidays. Every criminal court has a legal aid remand advocate for people who arrive without counsel.
| Situation | Court | BNSS section |
|---|---|---|
| Bailable offence | Police or magistrate, as of right | 478 |
| Non-bailable, magistrate-triable | Metropolitan Magistrate | 480 |
| Sessions-triable, or after refusal | Additional Sessions Judge | 483 |
| Before arrest | Sessions court of the New Delhi district, or the High Court | 482 |
| Charge sheet not filed in time | The remanding court | 187(3) |
Protests and gatherings near Parliament and Jantar Mantar sometimes lead to detentions and cases against groups of people. In such cases, bail usually turns on the nature of the allegations and the individual's role; legal aid lawyers and volunteer advocates often help on the first day. For the full process see the bail application guide and bail lawyers in Delhi.
If the police refuse to register an FIR, send your complaint in writing to the station house officer, then escalate to the New Delhi DCP; failing that, the magistrate here can direct registration on an application under section 175(3) of the BNSS, which should attach your earlier letters.
Three of the city's 34 paperless cheque courts sit in this complex; they began work in mid-2025. The right court is decided by the location of the bank branch where the holder presented the cheque, so cheques deposited in branches in Connaught Place and the surrounding business district are commonly prosecuted here.
See the cheque bounce calculator and cheque bounce notice.
The family court of the New Delhi district hears divorce, maintenance, custody and guardianship matters, while domestic violence applications are heard by magistrates. Families in the district include many government officers, diplomats' staff and professionals, which brings some recurring issues:
For more, read our pages on the divorce filing process, family law advocates in Delhi and Delhi divorce advocates.
With Chanakyapuri's embassies and high commissions in the district, Patiala House sees cases involving foreign nationals more often than most courts.
Foreign nationals who are victims of crime can also seek free legal aid from the New Delhi DLSA.
The New Delhi District Legal Services Authority works from a pre-fabricated building on the ground floor inside the Patiala House complex. It can be reached on 011-23072418, 011-23071732 or 9667992802, and by email at newdelhi-dlsa@nic.in. Its front office takes applications for free lawyers, and the authority runs the remand advocate scheme, victim compensation applications and the district mediation centre.
Section 12 of the Legal Services Authorities Act gives free legal services to women and children, members of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, victims of trafficking, persons with disabilities, industrial workmen, people in custody, victims of disasters and people whose annual income is below the limit set by the state. Anyone else earning under Rs 3 lakh a year is covered; for senior citizens and transgender persons the ceiling is Rs 4 lakh. The full list and the paperwork are in free legal aid eligibility.
The mediation centre at Patiala House takes referrals from civil, family, commercial and cheque courts. Sessions are private, a mediator does not decide anything, and nothing said in mediation can be used later in court. A signed settlement is placed before the referring court, which passes a decree or order on it. Pre-institution mediation under the Commercial Courts Act is also handled by the DLSA for business disputes that are not urgent.
Delhi's coming National Lok Adalat falls on Sunday, 25 October 2026. At Patiala House, benches will take compoundable criminal cases, cheque cases, motor accident claims, recovery suits, matrimonial disputes other than divorce, and other pending cases that both sides want to settle. Traffic challan benches run separately, with slips issued online from 19 October 2026 at 10 am. An award of the Lok Adalat is final, equal to a decree, and court fee paid on the case is refunded. See the Delhi Lok Adalat guide.
| Change | When | What it means here |
|---|---|---|
| BNS, BNSS and BSA replace the IPC, CrPC and Evidence Act | 1 July 2024 | Offences committed from this date are charged under the new laws; older cases continue under the old ones. |
| Three digital cheque courts at Patiala House | June 2025 | New cheque complaints filed online; summons with pay-online links. |
| Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025 | 1 September 2025 | Visa and stay offences by foreigners are now charged under this Act. |
| Rouse Avenue courts designated for NIA cases | Notification of 7 July 2026 | New NIA matters move to Special Exclusive Courts 04 to 06 at Rouse Avenue once they start, ending Patiala House's role as the NIA special court. |
| 31 October 2026 a working Saturday | Delhi High Court notification of September 2026 | District courts sit that day; check whether your case is listed. |
| National Lok Adalat | 25 October 2026 | Pending compoundable cases and challans can be settled. |
Where an older NIA case has already reached trial at Patiala House, check the cause list and the court's orders on transfer before assuming the case has moved. Advocates follow such notifications closely, and the eCourts entry will show the new court once a matter is transferred.
These are illustrations put together from common patterns, not real cases, and the outcome of any matter depends on its facts.
A family has let a ground floor shop to a trader since the 1970s at a few hundred rupees a month. The heirs of the original landlord want the shop for their own business. Because the tenancy is protected by the Delhi Rent Control Act, they cannot simply serve a notice and sue for possession; they file an eviction petition for bona fide requirement before the Rent Controller, and the tenant must seek leave to defend within 15 days of being served. If leave is refused, an eviction order follows quickly; if granted, the case is tried.
A small consultancy in Barakhamba Road has raised invoices of Rs 18 lakh on a client that stopped paying. After a legal notice brings no reply, the firm applies for pre-institution mediation through the DLSA because the Commercial Courts Act requires it. The client does not appear, the mediator issues a non-starter report, and the firm files a commercial summary suit at Patiala House. The client must now get leave to defend by showing a genuine triable issue.
A foreign tourist misses a flight after an illness and stays past the visa date. Overstay is an offence under the 2025 Act. The tourist approaches the Foreigners Regional Registration Office with medical papers, and in many such cases the matter is regularised by paying a penalty and getting an exit permit. Where a case is registered, a lawyer applies for bail at Patiala House with an undertaking to stay until trial or settlement, and the embassy is informed.
A restaurant in the inner circle pays a supplier by a cheque of Rs 2.4 lakh that bounces for insufficient funds. The supplier deposited it at its bank in Connaught Place, so the complaint goes to one of the digital cheque courts at Patiala House after the notice period. The restaurant's owner, who signed the cheque, pays online soon after the summons, and the case is closed without trial.
A group of students is detained near Parliament Street and later booked for disobeying a prohibitory order. They are produced before the magistrate the next day. Because the offences are bailable, each is released on furnishing a personal bond, and the question of whether the order was properly made known to them becomes the key issue at trial.
| Complex | Districts | Known for |
|---|---|---|
| Patiala House | New Delhi | Central Delhi business, Connaught Place tenancies, foreign nationals, high-profile criminal cases |
| Tis Hazari | Central, West | Delhi's oldest and largest district court complex |
| Saket | South, South East | Property, family and cheque cases in south Delhi |
| Karkardooma | East, North East, Shahdara | Trans-Yamuna cases |
| Rohini | North, North West | Outer north Delhi |
| Dwarka | South West | Labour courts and airport-related cases |
| Rouse Avenue | Special courts | CBI, ED, MP/MLA and now NIA cases |
| Matter | Bring |
|---|---|
| Bail | FIR copy, arrest memo, ID and address proof of the accused and surety, property or bank papers for surety |
| Cheque case | The cheque itself, the dishonour slip, your demand letter with dispatch receipts, and account statement |
| Commercial suit | Contract, invoices, ledger, emails, legal notice, mediation report |
| Rent matter | Lease or rent receipts, notices, ownership proof, photos |
| Family case | Marriage certificate, photos, salary slips or income proof, children's documents, asset affidavit |
| Foreign national | Passport, visa, registration papers, flight tickets, embassy letters |
Timelines vary with the court's workload and how prepared the parties are, so treat these as rough ranges.
Most civil and commercial cases here follow the same broad path. Knowing it helps you plan costs and keep track of what your advocate is doing.
Interim applications, such as for an injunction to stop a sale or construction, can be made at any stage and are often the most important step in property and business disputes. See property lawyers in Delhi and civil lawyers in Delhi.
Victims can take an active part through their own counsel, file applications for compensation, and receive copies of the police report. Read more in the criminal lawyers in Delhi guide.
Because of its location near Parliament and India Gate, Patiala House has heard many cases that draw media attention, from cases against public figures to terrorism trials when it was the designated NIA court. For ordinary litigants this has two practical effects.
Speaking to the press about a pending case can harm it. Leave statements to your advocate, and remember that criticism of a judge can amount to contempt.
Court fee in Delhi is charged under the Court Fees Act, 1870 as applied to Delhi. For money suits it is ad valorem, rising with the claim amount; for many other matters such as applications and petitions, a small fixed fee applies. Fees are paid by e-stamp or online.
Lawyer's fees are separate and agreed with the advocate. People who qualify for legal aid pay neither lawyer's fees nor most incidental costs.
A first meeting should leave you clearer about your options, not more anxious. These questions help you judge whether an advocate is the right fit.
Be wary of an advocate who guarantees a result, asks for large cash payments without receipts, or suggests that a judge or official can be influenced. Such promises are against the Bar Council's rules and usually mean trouble later.
| Decision by | Remedy | Where | Usual time limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Civil judge (smaller suits) | First appeal | District judge or ADJ | 30 days |
| District judge or ADJ in a civil suit | First or second appeal, depending on value | District court or Delhi High Court | 30 to 90 days |
| Commercial court | Appeal under section 13 | Commercial appellate division or Delhi High Court | 60 days |
| Rent Controller | Revision on eviction for bona fide need; appeal on other orders | Delhi High Court; Rent Control Tribunal | 90 days for revision; 60 days for appeal |
| Magistrate in a criminal case | Appeal or revision | Sessions court | 30 days for appeal; 90 days for revision |
| Sessions court | Appeal | Delhi High Court | 60 days for appeals against conviction |
| Family court | Appeal | Delhi High Court | 60 days |
Time limits run from the date of the decision, but the time taken to get a certified copy is excluded in many cases. A delay can sometimes be condoned with good reasons, but never assume it will be. If you plan to appeal, order the certified copy straight away and meet an advocate quickly. Where a decree for money or possession has been passed, ask whether you need a stay of execution while the appeal is pending.
The New Delhi district includes old residential colonies such as Gole Market, Kaka Nagar, Bapa Nagar, Pandara Road and areas around Lodhi Road, many of them with government housing, along with private bungalows and flats. A few issues come up often for residents:
See the property lawyers in Delhi guide for heirs and partition.
Many national newspapers, channels and organisations have offices in central Delhi, so defamation complaints and suits over publications are filed here fairly often. Criminal defamation is now an offence under section 356 of the BNS, triable by a magistrate on a private complaint by the person defamed; the court records the complainant's statement before deciding whether to summon the accused. Civil suits claiming damages or an injunction against further publication go to the civil or commercial court depending on the claim, or to the Delhi High Court for large claims. Truth published for the public good, fair comment and good faith opinions are recognised defences.
Compensation for road crash deaths and injuries is decided by the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal of the New Delhi district if the accident happened there, or if the claimant or respondent lives or works there. Under the Delhi scheme based on the Supreme Court's directions, investigating officers file a detailed accident report with the tribunal, and that report itself sets the claim in motion. Claimants should keep medical bills, income proof and the FIR, and can also seek interim compensation. Pending claims are often settled at the Lok Adalat with the insurer.
Complaints about online fraud should be reported quickly on the national cyber crime portal or helpline 1930, so that money can be frozen in the receiving accounts. FIRs for cyber offences in the New Delhi district are handled by the district's cyber police station, and cases are tried at Patiala House. Victims can apply to the court for release of frozen amounts once the investigating officer files a report.
Succession certificates for debts and securities and probate of wills of modest value can be sought from the district judge of the New Delhi district if the deceased lived in the district or left property there. Ad valorem court fee applies on the value of the estate, so families should list the assets carefully. Larger estates may fall within the Delhi High Court's original jurisdiction.
These are not heard at Patiala House. Consumer complaints go to the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission for New Delhi, and real estate disputes about registered projects go to the Delhi RERA. An advocate can tell you which forum suits your claim, since sometimes more than one route is open.
On Tilak Marg near India Gate in central New Delhi, in the former residence of the Maharaja of Patiala. The full address is Patiala House Courts Complex, Tilak Marg, New Delhi 110001.
Supreme Court station on the Blue Line is the nearest, a short walk away. Khan Market on the Violet Line is also close, about a ten minute auto ride.
The New Delhi district, which covers Connaught Place, Parliament Street, Chanakyapuri, Lodhi Road, Delhi Cantonment and surrounding areas. Cases from police stations in those areas are heard here.
The building was the Delhi residence of the Maharaja of Patiala, built in Lutyens' Delhi. After privy purses were abolished it passed to the government and was later turned into a court complex.
District courts started working here in 1978. Criminal courts shifted from Parliament Street in March 1997, and a new court building was added in the complex between 2004 and 2007.
Civil suits, commercial disputes, rent control cases, criminal trials, bail, cheque bounce complaints, family cases, motor accident claims and cases involving foreign nationals from the New Delhi district.
A Delhi Government notification of 7 July 2026 designated Special Exclusive Courts 04 to 06 at Rouse Avenue for NIA cases. Once those courts start working, Patiala House stops being the NIA special court. Check the order in any pending NIA case before assuming it has moved.
Use the eCourts services website or app, choose Delhi and the New Delhi district, and search by CNR number, case number, party name, advocate name or FIR number. The listing shows the court and next date.
Three paperless courts dedicated to dishonoured cheques work here, out of 34 across Delhi. Filing is online.
Where the bank branch at which the payee deposited the cheque for collection is located. If that branch is in the New Delhi district, the case goes to Patiala House.
Yes. Summons in digital cheque courts carry a link to pay the cheque amount at the start, following the Supreme Court's 2025 guidelines. Paying early, before evidence, usually avoids extra compounding cost.
For bailable offences bail is a right and is given on a bond. For non-bailable offences, apply to the magistrate under section 480 of the BNSS, and if refused or if the case is sessions-triable, to the Additional Sessions Judge under section 483.
Yes, the sessions court of the New Delhi district hears anticipatory bail applications under section 482 of the BNSS for cases registered in the district. The Delhi High Court can also be approached.
You must be produced before the magistrate at Patiala House within 24 hours. You can ask for your family to be informed, consult a lawyer, and get a free remand advocate if you have none.
Yes. Eviction petitions and rent disputes for premises in the New Delhi district, including many old Connaught Place tenancies protected by the Delhi Rent Control Act, go to the Rent Controller here.
Mainly older tenancies where the monthly rent is below Rs 3,500. Premises let at higher rents are outside the Act and are governed by the lease and ordinary civil law.
The tenant must ask for leave to defend within 15 days of service. If leave is refused, an eviction order can follow within months. If leave is granted, the case goes to trial, which takes longer.
Commercial suits from Rs 3 lakh up to Rs 2 crore arising in the New Delhi district go to the commercial courts at Patiala House. Larger claims go to the Delhi High Court's original side.
Yes, unless urgent interim relief is needed. Section 12A of the Commercial Courts Act requires pre-institution mediation through the legal services authority before filing.
A suit under Order XXXVII of the Civil Procedure Code for recovery of money based on written contracts, invoices or negotiable instruments. The defendant needs leave of the court to defend, which speeds up the case.
Applications to set aside an award under section 34 go to the court with original jurisdiction over the dispute. For commercial claims up to Rs 2 crore arising here, that is the commercial court at Patiala House.
Yes. The family court of the New Delhi district hears divorce, maintenance, custody and guardianship cases. Domestic violence applications are heard by magistrates.
In the family court of the district where the marriage took place, where you last lived together or, for a wife, where she lives. If any of these is in the New Delhi district, Patiala House is an option.
Courts often allow video appearance for parties posted elsewhere or living abroad, especially in mediation and mutual consent divorce. Ask through your advocate and keep proof of posting or residence.
Diplomats have immunity from criminal jurisdiction and, with limited exceptions, civil jurisdiction under the Vienna Convention, which India applies through the Diplomatic Relations Act, 1972. Disputes often need the Ministry of External Affairs' involvement.
The right to have the consulate informed, to consular visits, to an interpreter, to a lawyer and to be taken before a magistrate inside 24 hours. Free legal aid is available.
The Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025, in force from 1 September 2025, which replaced the Foreigners Act, 1946 and related laws.
Yes. Courts usually impose conditions such as surrender of the passport, a local surety or cash security, and regular reporting, so that the person stays available for trial.
The New Delhi District Legal Services Authority is in a pre-fabricated building on the ground floor inside the complex. Phone 011-23072418, 011-23071732 or 9667992802; email newdelhi-dlsa@nic.in.
Women, children, members of SC and ST communities, persons with disabilities, people in custody, industrial workmen, victims of trafficking or disaster, and people with annual income below Delhi's limit, among others.
The National Lok Adalat is on 25 October 2026. Pending compoundable cases, cheque cases, recovery suits and many other matters can be settled at Patiala House that day.
Yes. The award has the force of a civil court decree, and it cannot be appealed. Court fee paid on the case is refunded.
Yes, for eligible challans pending as of 30 June 2026. Slips are issued online from 19 October 2026 at 10 am, with a daily cap, and benches sit at court complexes across Delhi.
Yes. The Delhi High Court notified that Saturday 31 October 2026 will be a working day for courts. Check eCourts to see if your case is listed.
Courts usually sit from 10 am to about 4 or 5 pm, with a lunch break around 2 pm. Offices and filing counters keep their own hours.
Carry a photo ID. Bags are screened, and security can ask about the purpose of your visit.
Yes, parties can appear in person. For criminal and complex civil matters, a lawyer is strongly advised, and free legal aid is available if you qualify.
Ask for referrals, check the advocate's enrolment with the Bar Council of Delhi, and discuss fees in writing. On Mara Vakil, you can post a short brief and Delhi advocates who handle such matters can respond.
No. Finding and consulting advocates through Mara Vakil costs clients nothing. Charges for the legal work itself are fixed between you and the advocate.
No. Mara Vakil is a technology platform that helps people find advocates. It does not give legal advice and is not connected with Patiala House Courts.
A 16-character code given to every case on eCourts. It is printed on orders and summons, and searching by it is the quickest way to track a case.
Apply at the copying agency in the complex or online through the district court portal with the case details and fee. Many orders can also be downloaded free from eCourts.
Send a written complaint to the SHO and the DCP of the New Delhi district. If there is still no action, apply to the magistrate at Patiala House under section 175(3) of the BNSS.
Cases from protests near Parliament Street, Jantar Mantar and other areas in the New Delhi district are heard here. Many involve bailable offences and personal bonds.
Most such special cases sit at Rouse Avenue Court Complex. Some older matters may still be pending at Patiala House; check the case listing.
Magistrates handle remand, many bail applications and trials of offences punishable with up to seven years. Sessions courts try serious offences and hear appeals and revisions from magistrates.
Compoundable offences can be settled with the court's permission. Some non-compoundable cases can be quashed by the High Court on settlement. Mediation and Lok Adalat help in suitable cases.
It can end within months if the accused pays after summons, or take two years or more if contested through evidence and arguments.
Usually about six months from the first motion, though the waiting period can be waived where the court finds the marriage has irretrievably broken down and terms are settled.
Courts can order interim maintenance early in the case once both sides file affidavits of assets and liabilities. Delay in filing the affidavit slows this down.
Yes, if the accident happened in the New Delhi district, or you live or the respondent lives there. Claims go to the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal.
Consumer complaints go to the District Consumer Commission for New Delhi, not to Patiala House courts. Claims up to Rs 50 lakh go to the district commission.
Yes, unauthorised subletting is a ground for eviction under the Delhi Rent Control Act, but the landlord must prove it before the Rent Controller.
Increases are limited and governed by the Act, such as for improvements or increases in taxes. Rent outside the Act follows the lease terms.
ID and address proof of the surety, and proof of property, a fixed deposit or a vehicle registration as the court asks.
Yes, there are help desks and an e-Sewa Kendra to help with case status, court location and filing. The DLSA front office helps with legal aid.
Yes. e-filing is available for many civil, commercial and cheque cases through the Delhi district courts' e-filing portal. Cheque complaints in digital courts are filed online.
Many advocates practise across Delhi's courts and the High Court, so a lawyer seen at Patiala House may take a case in Saket or Tis Hazari too.
An alert issued to immigration authorities to stop or report a person leaving India. It may be issued in serious cases or when an accused avoids court.
Yes. Summons can be served through the Ministry of External Affairs or by other lawful means. Non-appearance may lead to warrants and further steps.
Usually the accused appears, bail bonds are furnished, and copies of the charge sheet are supplied. Arguments on charge come later.
Fees vary widely with experience, the type of case and the number of hearings. Ask for a written estimate and clarify whether it is per hearing or for the whole matter.
Parking is limited and often full. Metro to Supreme Court station or a cab is usually easier.
Yes. Women can apply to the magistrate under the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, get free legal aid regardless of income, and seek help from protection officers.
Civil suits against government departments located in the district may be filed here, after the two-month notice under section 80 of the Civil Procedure Code unless urgent relief is needed.
Proceedings are in English and Hindi. Interpreters can be provided for foreign nationals and others who do not understand these languages.
Yes. The accused is entitled to a copy, and most FIRs are available on the Delhi Police website unless they concern sensitive offences.
Yes, if the defamatory publication or statement was made or received in the New Delhi district, or the accused is based there. Criminal defamation under section 356 of the BNS starts with a private complaint before the magistrate, who records your statement before summoning anyone.
Call the cyber helpline 1930 or report on the national cyber crime portal as soon as possible, so that the money can be frozen. Then follow up with the cyber police station of the district and keep screenshots, bank messages and transaction IDs.
To the district judge of the New Delhi district at Patiala House, if the deceased ordinarily lived in the district or left property there. You will need the death certificate, proof of relationship, a list of the debts and securities, and court fee on their value.
Patiala House is the district court for the New Delhi district and hears its ordinary civil, criminal and family cases. Rouse Avenue houses special courts for CBI, ED, MP and MLA cases and, after the July 2026 notification, NIA cases.
Yes. The Motor Accident Claims Tribunal can award interim compensation, and in hit-and-run cases a fixed amount is payable under the government scheme. Keep the FIR, medical bills and income proof ready.
Yes. Most advocates hold a first meeting to understand the matter. Use it to ask about the court, the steps, the time and the fee, and take time to decide.
This page gives general information based on the sources listed, as checked on 17 October 2026. Court arrangements, contact numbers and the transfer of NIA cases can change; confirm with the court or an advocate before acting. Mara Vakil is a technology platform, not a law firm, does not give legal advice, and is not connected with Patiala House Courts. Read our disclaimer.
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