Chief Justice of India DY ChandrachudImage Credit source: PTI
During proceedings in the Supreme Court, Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud expressed concern over lawyers repeatedly seeking adjournment in new cases. He urged the lawyers not to file adjournment notices unless absolutely necessary. He emphasized that he did not want the court to be known as a ‘date-by-date’ court.
The Chief Justice referred to a famous dialogue from Sunny Deol’s Bollywood film “Damini”, in which this practice of adjournment in courts was criticized. The Chief Justice acknowledged the efforts of lawyers in reducing the time gap between filing and listing of new cases in the court. However, he expressed disappointment over the fact that even after cases are listed before the bench, lawyers seek adjournment, thereby creating a negative opinion of the court.
CJI got angry when lawyers asked for date after date
Chief Justice Chandrachud referred to the adjournment notices filed and said that for November 3 alone, 178 notices were pending and a total of 3,688 adjournment notices were filed between September and October. The Chief Justice was already concerned about the pending cases in the court and also started several initiatives to dispose of the cases quickly. Now when the lawyers repeatedly demand date after date, the Chief Justice got angry and said that this slows down the process of disposal of cases.
CJI had earlier also given the example of the film ‘Damini’
This is not the first time that the Chief Justice has given the example of the film “Damini” and has expressed the commitment of the lawyers to end the culture of date after date. Last year also he had said the same thing and expressed his displeasure with the lawyers. Sunny Deol’s character in the film, a lawyer, expresses his disappointment at not getting justice despite repeated adjournments in the court and being given many dates. Similarly, Justice Chandrachud, frustrated with the lawyers continuously demanding adjournment, had given the example of the film while expressing his intention to change the practice of multiple adjournments in the Supreme Court.
