Former Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud dismissed claims about excessive vacations in the Supreme Court, emphasizing that judges work tirelessly year-round, including weekends and holidays. He highlighted that even during breaks, judges manage critical cases, deliver judgments, and engage in legal outreach, debunking the misconception of a leisurely life.
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NEW DELHI: Former Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud strongly rejected the criticism that the Supreme Court of India takes too many vacations. He clarified that such views are “completely unfounded” and emphasized that judges work “24/7, 365 days a year.“
In an exclusive conversation, Justice Chandrachud highlighted that the Indian Supreme Court stands out globally as one of the courts with the “longest duration of working days.” He stated,
“You know there are Supreme Courts in other parts of the world where if a judge sits for a week on hearing cases, they would get a week off to actually deliver judgment.”
The debate over the vacation schedule of the Supreme Court has been a recurring topic.
In 2022, former Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju expressed concerns in Parliament, saying,
“There is a feeling among the people of India that the long vacations taken by the courts are not convenient for justice-seekers.”
He further stressed,
“It was my obligation and duty to convey the message or sense of this House to the judiciary.”
When asked if people globally should better understand the vacation schedule of India’s top court, Justice Chandrachud said:
“Absolutely. I completely agree with you. For the reason that even during the summers, it’s a partial court working period. The court does not close its shutters.”
He reiterated that the idea of long vacations is a misconception and added,
“The criticism that the court has too many vacations is completely unfounded because it doesn’t, you know. It’s not justified by what is the truth, which is, the judges are working 24*7, 365 days.”
Reflecting on his personal experience, Justice Chandrachud noted the challenges judges face in maintaining work-life balance. He said,
“The first victim of a life on the bench is your own ability to spend time with your own family. So I’m making up for lost ground now, you know.”
Justice Chandrachud concluded his tenure as the 50th CJI on November 10, after two years of service.
He explained that the workweek for Supreme Court judges extends from Monday to Sunday, leaving no real weekends.
“There are no weekends for Supreme Court judges because on Saturdays and Sundays, you are doing two things. You are reading for Monday’s cases, 70 or 80 cases, and you are delivering judgments which have been held back in reserve, either that week or the previous week. In the summer, the so-called summer vacation, it’s not a vacation,”
-he said.
Justice Chandrachud pointed out that even during vacation periods, the court handles critical constitutional matters or cases involving significant legal questions.
“It’s only when you have a mini break or a longer break, say, a mini break like for Holi or for Diwali that judges get down to doing all this work,”
-he added.
He explained that judges also spend their time meaningfully during short breaks, often participating in educational and legal outreach activities.
“Occasionally, you know, judges would go out of town. But even when they go out of town, say, on a Friday evening and come back on Saturday, they are addressing students of law colleges. They are conducting legal aid camps. So that’s equally a part of the functioning of a contemporary judge. So it’s not that judges have, you know, unlimited time off or, you know, time to spend with their families,”
-he clarified.
This is not the first time the demanding schedules of judges have been addressed. Several judges, including former Chief Justice of India N V Ramana, have previously spoken about the common misconception that judges live a life of luxury and enjoy extended holidays. They have firmly stated that such beliefs are far from reality.
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