“What is the urgency to lock court rooms before 4 pm on Mondays and Fridays”, Senior Yatin Oza writes to CJI Khehar

Senior Advocate Yatin Oza has written a strongly worded letter to Chief Justice of India JS Khehar urging the Court to reduce the number of holidays and sit till 4 pm on all working days.

Oza’s letter points out that Supreme Court functions only for 191 days in a year.

“People of this country do not know that the Hon’ble Supreme Court works only for 191 days in a year and is shut for 174 days. 2017 is not yet over but if we look at Your Lordships’ calendar of the year 2016 and previous years, they fully confirm my above statement.”

Oza points out how the Court declares holidays at the last minute on certain days which are shown as working days in its calendar.

“In 2016, Dr. Ambedkar Jayanti and Ram Navami were shown as working days, and at the last minute Hon’ble Chief Justice of India issued a notification and declared both the days as holidays. For the last at least 15-20 years, Hon’ble Supreme Court calendar shows Dr. Ambedkar Jayanti as working day and at the last minute, by a notification, is being declared a holiday”.

He has also taken serious objection to the Supreme Court declaring two holidays each for Bakr Eid, Ramzan Eid and Eid ul Fitr.

“The biggest and unpardonable fraud practised by the Hon’ble Supreme Court against the nation was by shutting down the court for 3 working days without a reason. Three holidays declared as Bakri Eid, Ramzan Eid, and Eid-ul-Fitr got changed because of visibility of moon.

The entire nation, i.e. Central government, all State governments, Union Territories and High Courts changed the holidays or continued with the notified holiday and worked on the day which was subsequently notified as holiday. However, Hon’ble Supreme Court continued already notified holidays and declared three days by notification as holidays. Meaning thereby for each Eid, the Supreme Court closed its shutters for two days.”

Besides, Oza has also criticised the Court winding up its work before 4 pm on miscellaneous days i.e. Mondays and Fridays.

“Though the court timings of the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India are from 10.30 am to 4 pm, with one hour lunch break, on each Monday and Friday, court rooms are locked after 1 pm and Hon’ble judges go home and have their lunch. Why is media silent and does not apprise the people of the country about the same? Why should Hon’ble judges not work after the miscellaneous work is over? Why should they retire to their chamber or go home after the Miscellaneous list gets exhausted?….

…Why is that urgency to lock court room before 4 pm on every working Monday and  Friday? Why should regular hearing matter or final disposal matter not be taken up on Monday and Friday? Why should Supreme Court wok for only 4.5 hours when Mofussil courts and district courts work for 7 hours and High Courts for at least 5 hours?”

Oza, in his letter, has also set out the vacation period enjoyed by the Supreme Court during Holi, Diwali, Pooja, Christmas and the summer vacation.

“Billions are spent on discussion to wipe out arrears and speedy redressal of disputes. Every year two meetings are held in New Delhi between Hon’ble Prime Minister, Law Minister, Chief Ministers of States and Chief Justices of High Courts and judges of Supreme Court. But no introspection takes place. Answers like judges have to read Special Leave Petitions, they don’t dictate judgments in open court, they dictate it at their residence are poor excuses to befool the poor people of India.”

Oza ends his letter by requesting the court to work till 4 pm on all working days.

“At least if nothing work up to 4 pm on all working days and be a little lenient in according hearing to poor citizens and to learner advocates appearing before Hon’ble Supreme court.”

Read the full letter below.