No Supreme Court benches in winter break, says CJI DY Chandrachud

Friday is the last working day of the top court before it goes on a two-week winter break. The apex court will reopen on January 2.

New Delhi: Chief Justice of India DY Chnadrachud on Friday announced that no Supreme Court bench will be available from December 17 till January 1 during the ensuing winter vacation. "There will be no benches available after December 17 till January 2, 2023," said the CJI. The CJI's announcement made in the apex court assumes significance in the wake of Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju's statement in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday in which he said there was a feeling among the people that long court vacation was not very convenient for justice seekers.

The issue regarding court vacation has been raised earlier also, but judges, including former CJI NV Ramana, had said there is a misconception that judges stay in ultimate comfort and enjoy their holidays. Delivering the inaugural Justice SB Sinha Memorial Lecture on 'Life of a Judge' in Ranchi in July, the then CJI Ramana had said judges spend sleepless nights rethinking their decisions.

"There exists a misconception in the minds of the people that judges stay in ultimate comfort, work only from 10 am to 4 pm and enjoy their holidays. Such a narrative is untrue. When false narratives are created about the supposed easy life led by judges, it is difficult to swallow," he had said. Justice Ramana had said the responsibility of judging is extremely burdensome owing to the human implication of the rulings.

The court usually has vacation benches constituted in its summer break, but other than that, in all vacations, no benches sit until and unless any urgent case comes up and a special bench has to be constituted. Friday is the last working day of the top court before it goes on a two-week winter break. The apex court will reopen on January 2.