Delhi High Court Bar Association calls for work abstention on first, third Saturdays despite court sitting rule

The Delhi High Court Bar Association will abstain from work on the first and third Saturdays, citing concerns over workload and efficiency.

The Delhi High Court Bar Association (DHCBA) has taken a call to abstain from work on the first and third Saturdays of each month, despite being mandated as “court sitting days”, it said in a notice on Thursday.

On January 15, the Delhi High Court decided to function on the two Saturdays every month.

The notice, signed by president N Hariharan and secretary Vikram Singh Panwar, said that the decision was taken at a meeting held on March 27 after several representations had been made to the high court seeking reconsideration of the policy. It requested members to co-operate starting April 4.

On January 15, the Delhi High Court decided to function on the two Saturdays every month. This followed a request by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant to all HC chief justices, urging two Saturdays each month to be dedicated to judicial work. The decision was taken during a full court meeting held on December 22 and was later communicated through a notification issued by Registrar General Arun Bhardwaj.

However, on February 4, the DHCBA wrote a letter requesting the judges to withdraw the decision stating that it had caused considerable resentment among its members and that the additional workload on Saturdays does not, in practical terms, lead to any lasting or systemic benefit. The DHCBA said the move would cause physical and mental fatigue among lawyers, undermining efficiency, and would also increase the judicial workload for the Bench.

The two-page notice further added that the DHCBA’s executive committee while taking the decision also considered the representations received from the members of the Bar highlighting the serious practical difficulties arising from Saturday sittings. “Members had expressed that the present arrangement would cause significant disruption to their professional schedules, including appearances before various tribunals, arbitrations, mediation and courts outside Delhi. The Committee also took note of the adverse impact on preparation time, client meetings and overall professional efficiency,” it added.