**Executive Summary**
The High Court of Delhi issued Notification No. 58/Rules/DHC on July 3, 2026, amending Rules 22 and 23 of the Delhi High Court Rules & Orders regarding the preservation and destruction of judicial registers. These amendments mandate specific retention periods of six and three years for various civil, criminal, and miscellaneous records from the date of their last entry. The revised rules take effect immediately upon their publication in the Gazette.
**Key Points / Main Content**
**Registers Subject to 6-Year Preservation (Rule 22)**
* The following registers must be preserved for six years from the date of the last entry before being destroyed:
* Audited Fine Receipt Book.
* Civil Register Nos. XVI, XVIII, XXI-A, XXI-B, and XXV.
* Criminal Register Nos. XV and XVII.
* Miscellaneous Register B.
* **Proviso for Extended Retention:** Civil Register No. XVIII and other specified registers must be preserved longer if there are outstanding deficiencies in stamp duty or Court fees. These must be kept for at least three years after the date such dues are recovered or written off.
**Registers Subject to 3-Year Preservation (Rule 23)**
* The following registers must be preserved for three years from the date of the last entry before being destroyed:
* Civil Register Nos. VII, VIII, IX, XII, XVII, XXI-C, XXII, and XIII.
* Criminal Register Nos. V, VI, XI, XII, and XIII.
* Miscellaneous Registers C, D, E, and F.
* Challan records related to the MCD Department.
**Effective Date**
* The amendments come into force on the date of their publication in the official Gazette (July 3, 2026).
**Impact Analysis**
**High Court and Judicial Administration**
**Impact**
Administrative and record-keeping staff are now governed by updated timelines for the retention and destruction of judicial registers.
**Action Required**
Staff must update record management protocols to ensure registers are destroyed only after the stipulated three or six-year periods and verify that no financial deficiencies exist before destroying records mentioned in Rule 22.
**Stamp Auditors**
**Impact**
The retention of certain civil registers is directly tied to the audit process regarding stamp duty and court fees.
**Action Required**
Auditors must ensure that all identified deficiencies are tracked, as records cannot be destroyed until three years after these financial issues are resolved.
**MCD Department**
**Impact**
Challan records pertaining to the MCD Department are now subject to a specific three-year destruction cycle.
**Action Required**
The department must ensure any necessary data from these challan records is utilized or reconciled within the three-year preservation window.
Key Entities Referenced
Delhi High Court Rules & Orders: The specific regulatory document being amended, specifically Rules 22 and 23 concerning the preservation period of judicial registers.
High Court of Delhi: The primary judicial body issuing the notification and responsible for the administration of the amended rules within its jurisdiction.
Delhi High Court Act, 1966: The enabling legislation providing the legal authority for the High Court to make and amend its procedural rules.
Destruction of Records Act, 1917: A referenced federal statute that governs the legal framework for the preservation and disposal of official and judicial records.
National Capital Territory of Delhi: The central administrative region and jurisdiction where these amended judicial rules are applicable.
रजिस्ट्री स.ं डी.एल.- 33002/99 REGD. No. D. L.-33002/99
भारत सर कार
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
एस.जी.-डी.एल.x-xअxG.-I1D0H0x7xx2 026-274339
SG-DL-Ex-x1xG00ID7E20xx2x6 -274339
असाधारण
EXTRAORDINARY
प्राजधकार स ेप्रकाजित
PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY
स.ं 20] दिल्ली, िुक्रिार, िुलाई 3, 2026/आषाढ 12, 1948 [रा.रा.रा.क्षे.दि. स.ं 91
No. 20] DELHI, FRIDAY, JULY 3, 2026/ASHADHA 12, 1948 [N. C. T. D. No. 91
भाग II—I
PART II—I
राष्ट्रीय रािधानी राज्य क्षत्रे दिल्ली सरकार
GOVERNMENT OF THE NATIONAL CAPITAL TERRITORY OF DELHI
दिल्ली उच्च न्यायालय : नई दिल्ली
अजधसचू ना
दिल्ली, 3 िुलाई, 2026
स.ं 58/जनयम/डीएचसी.— दिल्ली उच्च न्यायालय अजधजनयम, 1966 (1966 का अजधजनयम 26) की धारा 7
सहपठित अजभलेख नािकरण अजधजनयम, 1917 (1917 का 4) की धारा 3 और भारतीय संजिधान के अनुच्छेि 227
द्वारा प्रित्त िजियों एि ं इस जनजमत्त समर्थ बनाने िाली अन्य सभी िजियों का प्रयोग करत े हुए, दिल्ली उच्च न्यायालय,
राष्ट्रीय रािधानी क्षत्रे दिल्ली सरकार के माननीय उपराज्यपाल की पूिथ अनुमोिन स,े दिल्ली उच्च न्यायालय जनयम एि ं
आिेिों के खण्ड-IV के अध्याय 16 के भाग-च (ग. रजिस्ट्टर) म ें एति ्द्वारा जनम्नजलजखत संिोधन करता ह ै:-
दिल्ली उच्च न्यायालय जनयम एि ं आिेिों के खण्ड-IV के अध्याय 16 के भाग-च (ग. रजिस्ट्टर) के ितमथ ान जनयम 22 एि ं
23 के स्ट्र्ान पर जनम्नजलजखत जनयम प्रजतस्ट्र्ाजपत दकए िाएंग े:-
5027 DG/2026 (1)2 DELHI GAZETTE : EXTRAORDINARY PART II—I]
"22. 6 िष थ तक पठररजक्षत रख े िान े िाल े रजिस्ट्टर- जनम्नजलजखत न्याजयक रजिस्ट्टरों को अंजतम प्रजिजि की जतजर्
स े छह िष थ तक पठररजक्षत रखा िाएगा तर्ा तत्पश्चात नि कर दिया िाएगा :-
लेखापरीजक्षत िुमाथना रसीि पुजस्ट्तका
जसजिल रजिस्ट्टर संख्या XVI, XVIII, XXI-क, XXI-ख एि ं XXV
आपराजधक रजिस्ट्टर संख्या XV तर्ा XVII
जिजिध रजिस्ट्टर ख
परंतु जसजिल रजिस्ट्टर संख्या XVIII तर्ा इस जनयम म ें उजल्लजखत अन्य रजिस्ट्टरों को आिश्यकता होने
पर लंबी अिजध तक पठररजक्षत रखा िाएगा। ऐसे रजिस्ट्टरों को उस जतजर् स े कम-से-कम तीन िषथ की अिजध तक
पठररजक्षत रखा िाएगा, जिस जतजर् को स्ट्टाम्प लेखा परीक्षकों द्वारा इंजगत की गई स्ट्टाम्प िुल्क एि ं न्यायालय
िुल्क की कजमयों से संबंजधत समस्ट्त बकाया राजि िसूल कर ली गई हो अर्िा उस े अपजलजखत कर दिया गया
हो।
23. 3 िष थतक पठररजक्षत रख ेिान े िाल ेरजिस्ट्टर
जनम्नजलजखत न्याजयक रजिस्ट्टरों को अंजतम प्रजिजि की जतजर् स ेतीन िषथ तक पठररजक्षत रखा िाएगा तर्ा
तत्पश्चात नि कर दिया िाएगा :-
जसजिल रजिस्ट्टर संख्या VII, VIII, IX, XII, XVII, XXI-ग, XXII तर्ा XIII
आपराजधक रजिस्ट्टर संख्या V, VI, XI, XII तर्ा XIII
जिजिध रजिस्ट्टर ग, घ, ङ तर्ा च
एम.सी.डी. जिभाग स े संबंजधत चालान अजभलेख ।"
ठटप्पणी : य ेसंिोधन रािपत्र म ें इनके प्रकािन की जतजर् स ेप्रभािी होंगे।
न्यायालय के आिेिानुसार,
अरुण भारद्वाि, महाजनबंधक
HIGH COURT OF DELHI: NEW DELHI
NOTIFICATION
Delhi, the 3rd July, 2026
No. 58/Rules/DHC.— In exercise of the powers conferred by Section 7 of the Delhi High Court
Act, 1966 (Act 26 of 1966) read with Section 3 of the Destruction of Records Act, 1917 (4 of 1917) &
Article 227 of the Constitution of India and all other powers enabling it in this behalf, the High Court of
Delhi, with the prior approval of the Lt. Governor of the Government of National Capital Territory of[PART II—I DELHI GAZETTE : EXTRAORDINARY 3
Delhi, hereby makes the following amendments in Part F (C. Registers) of Chapter 16 of Volume IV of
Delhi High Court Rules & Orders :-
THE FOLLOWING SHALL BE SUBSTITUTED FOR THE EXISTING RULE 22 AND 23 OF
PART F (C. REGISTERS) OF CHAPTER 16 OF VOLUME IV OF DELHI HIGH COURT RULES
& ORDERS :-
“22. Registers to be preserved for 6 years—The following judicial registers shall be preserved
for six years from the last date of the entry and shall then be destroyed :—
Audited Fine Receipt Book
Civil Register Nos. XVI, XVIII, XXI-A, XXI-B and XXV.
Criminal Register No. XV and XVII.
Miscellaneous Register B.
Provided that Civil Register No. XVIII and other registers mentioned in this Rule shall be
preserved for a longer period, if necessary. Such registers shall be preserved for a period of at least
3 years after the date on which all dues in respect of deficiencies in stamp duty and Court fees
pointed out by Stamp Auditors are recovered or written off.
23. Registers to be preserved for 3 years—The following judicial registers shall be preserved for
three years from the date of the last entry and shall then be destroyed:
Civil Registers Nos. VII, VIII, IX, XII, XVII, XXI-C, XXII and XIII.
Criminal Registers Nos. V, VI, XI, XII and XIII.
Miscellaneous Registers C, D, E and F.
Challan records pertaining to the MCD Department.”
NOTE: THESE AMENDMENTS SHALL COME INTO FORCE FROM THE DATE OF
THEIR PUBLICATION IN THE GAZETTE.
By Order of the Court,
ARUN BHARDWAJ, Registrar General
Uploaded by Dte. of Printing at Government of India Press, Ring Road, Mayapuri, New Delhi-110064
and Published by the Controller of Publications, Delhi-110054.