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Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud has expressed his dissatisfaction with the excessive number of adjournment requests made by lawyers in the Supreme Court. Between September 1 and November 3, the court received a staggering 3,688 adjournment requests from lawyers as soon as cases were listed for hearing.
This influx of requests led Chief Justice Chandrachud to make a significant statement in an open courtroom, emphasizing that the court should not be seen as a "tareekh-pe-tareekh" or a date-after-date court.
The Chief Justice disclosed that these adjournment slips were submitted immediately following urgent requests by lawyers for early hearings, which occur on Mondays and Fridays, referred to as "miscellaneous days." On average, 154 adjournment letters were circulated during these two days since September.
The excessive adjournment requests have hampered the court's efforts to expedite case filing and listing processes. Chief Justice Chandrachud expressed his concern about this trend and called for the "moral cooperation" of lawyers.
During the mentioned period, lawyers requested early hearings for approximately 59 cases daily, totaling 2,361 cases from September 1. However, the Chief Justice noted that these cases were frequently adjourned when they came up for hearing, undermining the court's efforts to streamline proceedings.
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In response to this issue, Chief Justice Chandrachud called on lawyers to avoid seeking adjournments unless it is absolutely necessary, urging them to consider the court's role as a trustee for the citizens. He questioned the justification for adjourning 3,688 cases in just two months after they were listed, emphasizing the importance of efficient and timely justice delivery.
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