Prayagraj: In an important development, the Allahabad High Court Bar Association (HCBA) has written to various bar associations across the country, urging collective opposition to the proposal to make HCs function on two Saturdays every month.The HCBA has flagged concerns over the impact of additional working days on lawyers, judges and court staff. It also questioned the assumption that longer court hours would automatically reduce case backlogs. The bar association also linked the proposal to what it described as a “corporate-style approach to productivity”, where longer working hours are equated with increased output.The proposal for HCs to sit on at least two Saturdays each month has gathered pace in recent months, with Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant also putting forward a proposal. However, the move has met resistance from several bar associations across the country, including those in Delhi and Kerala, who have warned it could place additional strain on the justice system. In the letter dated Jan 27, the HCBA has argued that the proposal may appear appealing on the surface, but would eventually affect the quality of justice. “Opening of courts on two Saturdays a month needs to be resisted. It may appear superficially attractive and appealing to the uninitiated, but 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.Explaining the realities of the legal profession, the bar association said that although court hours officially run from 10 am to 4 pm, lawyers’ work routinely stretches 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 stated.It said that additional court sittings would affect preparation time and the quality of legal assistance, adding that effective judicial work depends on efficiency in a stress-free environment rather than extension of sitting days. HCBA also pointed out that court staff are already stretched thin, facing manpower shortages and delays in issuing certified copies of orders. The letter challenged the narrative that the pendency of cases is linked to fewer working days. “We may point out that a fallacious narrative indicating pendency of cases in High Courts on account of courts working for a lesser number of days is setup by vested interest or persons not aware to the functioning of the judicial system,” it said.It has called upon other bar associations across the state to pass resolutions opposing the proposal and to forward them to the SC, all HCs and the Union law minister. The letter was signed by HCBA president Rakesh Pande and secretary Akhilesh Kumar Sharma.
