A heated exchange unfolded in the Supreme Court after a Bench of Justice Vikram Nath and Justice PB Varale refused to allow senior advocates to appear during partial working days. Justice Nath remarked, “Let young lawyers come. No senior advocate is permitted to appear in my court.”
The Supreme Court saw a heated exchange after a Bench of Justice Vikram Nath and Justice PB Varale declined to allow senior advocates to appear or to mention cases during partial court working days.
The Bench also made it clear that the restriction would continue for the entire vacation sitting, explaining that it was meant to create more opportunities for younger members of the Bar and Advocates-on-Record (AoR).
Senior Advocate Siddharth Dave objected after being told he would not be permitted to appear in matters listed during the vacation period.
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Justice Vikram Nath replied that such requests should be raised before the Chief Justice of India and pointed to the heavy workload reflected in the vacation roster, Requesting permission to argue, Dave said,
“There is no holiday, these are partial court working days. In these matters, notice was issued last week. We have to appear, we are forced to,”
The judge observed,
“Please make a request before the CJI. We have 55 matters today… I have no senior policy in summer vacation since last 3-4 years,”
When Dave argued that the Bar was not aware of the restriction, Justice Nath refused to change the position. “No. No,”
As another senior counsel tried to mention a matter, Justice Nath reiterated the rule in a lighter tone and asked the Court Master to clear senior advocates from the courtroom.
He remarked,
“You’re a Senior Designate… Court-master. Yeh sab seniors ko baahar nikalo,”
Dave then pressed again for permission, saying senior counsel had already been engaged in matters for which notice had been issued.
The Bench, however, did not back down.
Justice Nath stated,
“Let young lawyers come. No senior advocate is permitted to appear in my court during partial working days,”
He added that the practice had been followed by his Bench during earlier summer vacations and was not a new instruction.
He said,
“Everybody knows. For the past 4 years I am following this. Mr Courtmaster, please have the senior advocates leave the court,”
The Bench also refused permission to Senior Advocate Sanjay Hegde in another matter, directing that submissions be made through instructing counsel instead.
Justice Nath further rejected oral mentions by senior advocates during the session, clarifying that even in cases where senior counsel were previously engaged, they would not be allowed to appear during vacation sittings.