Government Recommends 'Staggered Vacations' For Judges

The government has forwarded recommendations of a parliamentary committee on staggered vacation for judges to the secretary general of the Supreme Court and registrars general of 25 high courts for 'appropriate consideration'.

In a written reply in Lok Sabha on Friday, Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal stated that the standing committee on law and personnel considered individual judges taking their leave at different times of the year so that the courts are constantly open and they are always present to hear cases, instead of all judges going on vacations at the same time, referring to the suggestion of former chief justice of India RM Lodha.

The committee was of the opinion that Justice Lodha's suggestion on court vacations should be considered by the Judiciary.

"Accordingly, the recommendation of the Rajya Sabha department-related parliamentary standing committee in respect of the aforementioned subject was forwarded by the government to the Secretary General, Supreme Court and all Registrars General of the respective High Court for appropriate consideration," Meghwal told the House.

In its action taken report tabled in Parliament in February, the committee then chaired by late Sushil Modi had asked the government to press the Supreme Court and the 25 high courts to share their response at the earliest on its recommendation that judges can go for 'staggered' vacation keeping in mind the huge pendency of cases.

The action taken report of the committee was based on its earlier report on 'Judicial Processes and Their Reforms'.

In the action taken report, the parliamentary standing committee had recalled its earlier recommendation that staggered vacation by individual judges at different times of the year will ensure courts are not shut for nearly two months every year.