Chief Justice of India B R Gavai on Wednesday expressed frustration over lawyers blaming the judiciary for the backlog of cases while being unwilling to work during court vacations. Despite top judges, including himself, continuing to hold hearings over the summer break, lawyers continue to request adjournments, contributing to delays in justice delivery.
Judges working through vacations
A bench of Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justice Augustine George Masih took issue with a lawyer who requested the listing of a case after the summer vacation. The CJI stated that while the top five judges of the Supreme Court are working through the vacation period, the perception persists that the judiciary is solely responsible for case pendency. “The first five judges are sitting through the vacation and continuing to work, yet we are blamed for the backlog. In reality, it is the lawyers who are unwilling to work during the vacations,” he remarked.
The Supreme Court has already issued a notification outlining a revised structure for its summer working schedule, renaming the summer vacation period as “partial court working days.” From May 26 to July 13, multiple vacation benches will function, including those headed by senior judges, which was not the norm in earlier years.
Increased vacation bench presence
According to the new schedule, between May 26 and June 1, Chief Justice B R Gavai, along with Justices Suryakant, Vikram Nath, J K Maheshwari, and B V Nagarathna, will preside over five separate benches. This marks a significant shift from the previous system where only two benches operated during the summer, typically without the participation of senior judges.
Furthermore, the Supreme Court registry will remain operational during this period from 10 am to 5 pm on working days, while remaining closed on Saturdays (except July 12), Sundays, and public holidays.
