Lawyers resist High Courts on Saturdays

The Allahabad High Court Bar Association (HCBA) has written to various bar associations across India, urging collective opposition to a proposal to open High Courts on two Saturdays every month.

In the letter, the HC Bar Association flagged concerns over the impact of additional working days on lawyers, judges and court staff. They also questioned the assumption that longer court hours would automatically reduce case backlogs.

The HCBA said the proposal may appear appealing on the surface but would eventually affect the quality of justice.

“Opening of courts on two Saturdays in a month needs to be resisted since it may appear superficially attractive and appealing to the uninitiated but eventually it would affect the quality and quantity of justice while putting the legal fraternity, judicial fraternity and staff concerned to physical strain and psychological stress,” the letter said.

The Bar Association said that although courts officially function from 10 am to 4 pm, lawyers’ work routinely stretches far beyond that. It added that weekends are often spent preparing complex cases, drafting pleadings and studying legal material.

“Matters which may be complicated, time-consuming and need extensive preparation are normally dealt with on Saturdays and Sundays. In fact, Saturday and Sunday are the busiest days for lawyers,” the letter added.

The Association also pointed to the pressure on judges and court staff, noting that weekends are frequently used by judges to write judgments and clear reserved cases. It added that court staff are already stretched thin, facing manpower shortages and delays in issuing certified copies of orders.

In the letter dated January 27, it called upon other bar associations across the country to pass resolutions opposing the proposal and to forward them to the Supreme Court, all High Courts and the Union Law Minister.

The proposal for High Courts to sit on at least two Saturdays each month has gathered pace in recent months. Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant also put forward a proposal on these lines.

The Delhi High Court has decided to function on the first and third Saturdays of every month.