Delhi High Court: Questions Government on Private Auditors for Fire Safety

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday issued notice to the Delhi government, the Delhi Fire Service and the Lieutenant Governor’s office on a plea challenging the changes made in the law that replace mandatory inspections by government fire officers with fire safety certifications by private auditors engaged and paid by building owners.A Division Bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia questioned the government on how it can delegate the government’s essential functions to third parties. “You are delegating your essential functions. Is this permitted? This is the essential function of the fire department. Can you delegate it? There is a problem,” the Court remarked. It directed the authorities to file their replies in 4 weeks and said that the case will be heard next on December 12. Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas KariaThe High Court was hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Umed Singh Chhillar, an 84-year-old former Indian Army serviceman and retired Delhi Fire Service officer associated with the Institution of Fire Engineers (India). Chhillar has challenged the amendment to the Delhi Fire Service Act, 2007, saying that the recently notified Delhi Fire Service (Amendment) Rules, 2026 dilute safeguards concerning fire and life safety in Delhi.The petition contends that the new framework allows building owners to engage private fire safety auditors, while insulating the Delhi Fire Service from l