Supreme Court To Have ‘Partial Court Working Days’ Instead Of ‘Summer Vacations’

The Supreme Court of India is making a significant change by replacing its usual summer vacations with “partial Court working days.” This update is part of the Supreme Court (Second Amendment) Rules, 2024, which have been approved by the President. The goal of these new rules is to keep the Court functioning well during times when it has fewer sittings, allowing it to handle urgent issues while giving judges and staff more flexibility. The changes take effect immediately after being published in the Official Gazette and alter the Court’s yearly schedule. Instead of completely shutting down for long summer breaks, the Court will now follow a modified timetable called “partial Court working days.” During these times, the Court will be open for a specific number of days, with operations directed by the Chief Justice.

The notification dated November 05, 2024 states, “4. In Order VI of said rules, in rule 6,- for rule 6, (a) in the opening paragraph, for the words “During the vacation, the Vacation Judge”, the words “During the partial Court Working days, the Judge”, shall be substituted; and (b) for clause (1), the following clause shall be substituted, namely:- “(1) Applications for special leave to appeal in urgent cases where interim relief is prayed for subject to the condition that the Judge shall not decide such a petition if it raises substantial question of law as to the interpretation of the Constitution.””

Key Changes in Court Operations:

1. Partial Working Days: The Court will now operate on partial working days throughout the year instead of having a long summer break. The Chief Justice will set the specific days and holidays, but the total will not exceed 95 days each year, not counting Sundays.
2. Handling Urgent Cases: On partial working days, some judges will be available to address urgent matters, preventing delays in important cases. This includes admission hearings and other urgent issues as directed by the Chief Justice.
3. New Terms and Sessions: The Court will have two annual terms. The first term will end before the Christmas and New Year holidays, and the second term will start after. This change allows for better scheduling and keeps court proceedings running smoothly year-round.
4. Special Leave Requests: The rules state that special leave applications, especially those needing urgent interim relief, will be considered during partial working days. However, judges will not rule on cases with significant constitutional issues unless they are heard in full Court.