Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna on Tuesday stated that a liberal system of adjournments in the Supreme Court would be counterproductive to the swift disposal of cases. He defended the new rules introduced in February, which have significantly reduced the rate of adjournments.

Addressing a gathering of judges and lawyers on Constitution Day, CJI Khanna said, “I have one request and I hope it will be taken in the right spirit. I am repeatedly receiving requests for the re-circulation of adjournment letters… It is not feasible for us to return to the earlier system. It will be counterproductive.”

He compared the current system to the earlier one, noting that under the old system, the Court used to receive around 9,000 to 10,000 adjournment requests every three months, averaging more than 1,000 requests per day. In contrast, the current system has seen only about 1,400 adjournment applications in the past 11 months, reducing the number to around 150 per month.

CJI Khanna’s predecessor, DY Chandrachud, had introduced the new adjournment policy to address the “adjournment culture,” which contributed to the large backlog of cases, currently exceeding 80,000. Under the new rules, adjournment requests are circulated only once by a party or counsel, and cases automatically get rescheduled within four weeks.

The CJI emphasized the crucial role of lawyers in the judicial process, stating that they are an integral part of the judiciary. He urged members of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) to uphold the principles outlined in the Constitution Day Charter. SCBA president and senior lawyer Kapil Sibal read out the charter.

CJI Khanna also highlighted the connection between judges and the bar, saying, “The better the bar, the better the judges. The bar is not just part of the judiciary but also the spokesperson and the first point of contact for citizens seeking justice.”

In his speech, Attorney General R. Venkataramani echoed the sentiment, asserting that India does not need outside advice on its governance. He suggested that Constitution Day should be a time for reflection on collective efforts to address challenges, such as the pendency of cases. Venkataramani also questioned whether the Supreme Court should focus on being a constitutional court or take on a broader role, potentially adding to the backlog of cases.