Supreme Court Restricts Advance Adjournment Requests Until December 15

On December 5, the Supreme Court of India made a decision to disallow advance adjournment requests through the circulation of adjournment slips/letters until December 15.

The Supreme Court Registrar issued a circular to communicate this decision, emphasizing that it aims to benefit litigants by ensuring the listing of a maximum number of cases before the upcoming winter vacation of the Court.

The Court is scheduled to be closed from December 16, 2023, to January 1, 2024.

The circular stated, “In order to accommodate the request of listing a maximum number of cases in the interest of litigants and in view of the ensuing winter vacation, all stakeholders are advised that the practice of circulating adjournment slips/letters is discontinued with immediate effect until December 15, 2023.”

The circular clarified that in cases involving genuine difficulties, adjournment requests can still be made directly before the concerned court.

The Chief Justice of India (CJI) expressed concern over the fact that more than 200 adjournment slips were circulated on December 4.

CJI DY Chandrachud remarked on December 5, “This Monday we had 15 benches, and almost 205 adjournment slips were given. I am constantly telling the bar that please avoid adjournments.”