PTI
New Delhi, 16 December
Chief Justice of India D. Y. Chandrachod said on Friday that there will be no Supreme Court bench available from December 17 to January 1 during the following winter holidays.
The ICC declaration made in the Supreme Court is gaining significance following Federal Law Minister Kiren Ryju’s statement in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday in which he said there was a feeling among the people that long vacations in the court were not very comfortable for justice seekers.
The lawyers present in the courtroom were initially informed by Judge Chandrachod that “there will be no available seats from tomorrow until January 1”.
Friday is the last working day at the Supreme Court before it goes into a two-week winter recess. The Supreme Court will reopen on January 2.
The issue of court holidays had been raised earlier as well but the judges, including former CJI NV Ramana, said there was a misconception that judges rest in absolute rest and enjoy their holidays.
While giving the inaugural Justice S P Sinha Memorial Lecture on “A Judge’s Life” in Ranchi in July, the then ICC Ramana said the judges spend sleepless nights rethinking their decisions.
“There is a misconception in people’s minds that judges remain in absolute rest, only working from 10am to 4pm and enjoying their holidays. Such a narrative is not true… When false narratives of supposedly easy lives are created by judges it is hard to swallow.”