In a move to address the growing backlog of cases, the Rajasthan High Court has started conducting hearings on two Saturdays each month. The decision, made after a full bench meeting last month, aims to increase the number of working days. The High Court administration has already published the cause list for Saturday sessions.
The shift to include Saturdays as working days for hearings has sparked a dispute between the Bar and the Bench, leading lawyers in Jaipur and Jodhpur to voluntarily boycott judicial work on Saturdays. This alteration in the court calendar will result in over 15 additional working days annually, raising the total working days in the Rajasthan High Court to around 225 per year.
Despite efforts by the administration, lawyers’ associations have strongly opposed the decision. The High Court Bar Association in Jaipur has opted to refrain from judicial work on Saturdays as a form of protest. Similarly, both High Court Bar Associations in Jodhpur have also declared a boycott of court proceedings on Saturdays.
Responding to the protest, Acting Chief Justice Sanjeev Prakash Sharma has formed a committee of judges to engage in discussions with Bar representatives and address their concerns. Rajiv Sogarwal, President of the High Court Bar Association in Jaipur, mentioned that while the committee has been established, its findings have not been disclosed yet. He noted that despite the ongoing dialogue, the cause list for the January 24 Saturday hearing was released.
Sources indicate that the decision to extend working days was influenced by a request from Supreme Court Chief Justice Surya Kant, who had urged all High Courts in the country to consider increasing working days to manage case backlog and ensure timely justice. While the High Court administration argues that Saturday hearings are crucial for enhancing judicial efficiency, lawyers insist that such decisions should be made after broader consultations with the Bar. The standoff persists as Saturday hearings begin.
