Supreme Court Lawyers Write To CJI DY Chandrachud Seeking To Revive Practice Of Circulating Adjournment Letters

Last year, ahead of the annual winter break, the top court notified a change in the process of seeking adjournment "in the interest of litigants". The circular, issued on December 5, put on hold the extant practice of circulating adjournment letters or slips until the last working day of the year.

Both the Supreme Court Advocates-on-Record Association (SCAORA) and the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) protested against this change, urging the court to not discontinue this practice. In response to their representations, the top court constituted a judges' committee to prepare a standard operating procedure (SoP) on adjournments with inputs from all stakeholders, including members of the bar. The practice of requesting a deferment of hearing through letters or slips however was declared to be discontinued until further orders. The circular issued on December 22 reads –

“In light of the request of SCBA and SCAORA with regard to continuation of circulation of adjournments slips, the competent authority has been pleased to constitute a committee of Hon'ble Judges for preparing a standard operating procedure after inviting suggestions of the Bar and all stakeholders and for working further modalities. In the meanwhile, the practice of circulation of adjournment slips stands discontinued till further orders.”

However, the lawyers who have written to the chief justice argue that the elimination of the existing procedure during the interregnum would have 'serious consequences' for both the bar and the bench. Given these potential consequences, they have urged the judges' committee and Chief Justice Chandrachud to reinstate the previous system of seeking adjournments through circulation of slips, until a new mechanism is put in place.