Delhi High Court Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya criticised the rising number of adjournments sought by lawyers, saying courts are wrongly blamed for delays. The bench remarked that many proxy counsels appear only to seek adjournments without knowing the case.
New Delhi: Delhi High Court Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya on Tuesday expressed serious concern over the increasing number of adjournments being sought by lawyers appearing in cases before his court. The Chief Justice, visibly disappointed, commented during the proceedings,
“We invite you all for tea as nobody appeared in court,”
before the bench rose for the lunch break.
The Division Bench, comprising Chief Justice Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela, had already cleared a large part of the day’s causelist even before the lunch break because many advocates had requested adjournments.
Reflecting on the situation, the Chief Justice remarked,
“Okay we will rise then. Look at the number of adjournments we have given. The courts are blamed for not hearing the matters, but when the matters are taken up, adjournment is sought.”
Throughout the day, several junior lawyers appearing before the Bench requested adjournments for a variety of reasons — including personal difficulties, family bereavement, and the main counsel being
“on legs in another court.”
These repeated requests seemed to frustrate the judges, as they noted that the trend of seeking adjournments was slowing down the judicial process.
What particularly annoyed the Court was that many of these adjournments were being sought by proxy counsels — junior or substitute advocates who appeared only to request a postponement of the hearing, without having any knowledge of the actual case.
Addressing this issue, the judges sharply observed,
“Proxy counsels are only for taking adjournments.”
The Chief Justice’s remarks highlight a long-standing issue in court proceedings — the excessive number of adjournments sought by lawyers, which often delays the dispensation of justice.
The Delhi High Court’s reaction on Tuesday serves as a reminder to the legal fraternity about the importance of preparedness, responsibility, and respect for judicial time.
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