Himachal HC introduces car-pooling, work-from-home amid austerity drive
The circular was issued by Registrar General Bhupesh Sharma.
The court questioned the Municipal Corporation’s claim that the average depth of hill cutting was around seven metres when the original permission had allowed excavation of only three metres. The Himachal Pradesh High Court has issued a circular introducing fuel conservation and limited work-from-home provisions for its staff with immediate effect on Monday, in line with austerity measures initiated by the government and the Supreme Court.
The circular was issued by Registrar General Bhupesh Sharma. It said the directions were implemented following an Office Memorandum issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), Government of India, on May 12, 2026, coupled with a circular issued by the Supreme Court of India on May 15, 2026.
Acting on these directives, the Chief Justice of the HP High Court, Justice Gurmeet Singh Sandhawalia, has ordered the austerity measures to ensure optimum utilisation of fuel and streamline administrative functioning. The judges of the HC have, therefore, unanimously resolved to encourage car-pooling among themselves to reduce fuel consumption and unnecessary vehicular movement.
The circular also provides that up to 50 per cent staff in each branch or section of the High Court Registry may be permitted to work from home for a maximum of two days per week. However, the order makes it clear that the remaining staff must remain physically present in office to ensure uninterrupted functioning of court administration and judicial work.
Concerned Registrars were directed to prepare weekly rosters in advance before the commencement of every week.
The court administration has mandated that employees allowed to work from home must remain available on telephone at all times and should be prepared to report to the office whenever required.
And most importantly, the circular grants discretionary powers to Registrars to restrict or modify the work-from-home arrangement if they find any branch or section’s functioning is being adversely affected. The order specifically notes that if, after considering the essential nature of work, the concerned Registrar feels that the arrangement is not effective, suitable modifications can be made.
The circular was circulated among all branches of the HC Registry, including the offices of judges, registrars, private secretaries, protocol officials and estate officers for immediate compliance.
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