Delhi high court to sit on first, third Saturdays every month

A person familiar with the development confirmed receipt of the letter and said the decision was aimed at reducing case pendency

The Delhi high court will function on the first and third Saturdays of every month, following a letter from Chief Justice of India Surya Kant requesting chief justices of all high courts to dedicate two Saturdays each month.

According to data from the National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG), a total of 125,583 cases are currently pending before the Delhi high court. This includes 93,138 civil and 32,445 criminal cases. Of the total pending matters, 93,929 cases have been pending for over a year. (HT Archive)

The decision was taken by the high court in its full court meeting held on December 22 and was communicated through a notification issued on January 15, by high court registrar general Arun Bhardwaj.

“It has been resolved by the Hon’ble full court in its meeting held on 22.12.2025 that the first and third Saturdays of every month shall be court sitting days for this court,” the notification read.

A person familiar with the development, who declined to be identified, confirmed receipt of the letter and said the decision was aimed at reducing case pendency.

According to data from the National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG), a total of 125,583 cases are currently pending before the Delhi high court. This includes 93,138 civil and 32,445 criminal cases. Of the total pending matters, 93,929 cases have been pending for over a year.

The decision was taken despite an earlier resolution adopted in October last year, under which each bench of the high court was to sit on one Saturday every month for the remainder of the year. That decision too, according to a person familiar with the development, who declined to be identified, was taken pursuant to a circular issued by former Chief Justice of India B R Gavai, requesting benches of all high courts to hold hearings on one Saturday every month.

The high court’s move was welcomed by senior members of the legal fraternity, terming it a necessary step to tackle mounting pendency of cases.

Senior advocate Manish Vashisht said the move was a positive one and recalled that Saturday hearings were not entirely new to the court’s functioning. “Earlier, particularly between 2002 and 2005, courts did hear matters on certain Saturdays, though it was largely based on the consent of parties and convenience of the court. Over time, that practice was discontinued for reasons not clearly known,” he said.

Vashisht noted that circumstances have changed significantly, with pendency emerging as a serious concern. “Saturdays are relatively easier, especially for the High Court, as they are not as burdened with regular court work, even though district courts function. In that sense, it is a good decision and beneficial for litigants,” he added.

Echoing similar views, senior advocate Vivek Sood described the situation as critical. “The Delhi high court is collapsing under the weight of pendency, almost to the point of no return. At the present pace, pendency may not be cleared even in 50 years unless drastic measures are taken,” he said.

Sood termed the move to hold court on the first and third Saturdays as “welcome” and “imperatively necessary”.

Delhi High Court Bar Association (DHCBA) vice-president and senior advocate Sacchin Puri said that while he personally favoured the move, he could not comment in his official capacity as DHCBA vice-president until the executive committee arrived at a collective decision.