The Supreme Court has announced a significant change by renaming its ‘summer vacation/vacation' as 'partial court working days'. The amendment was notified on November 5, 2024 which will also be the last working week of outgoing Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud.

This change addresses criticism about lengthy court breaks and seeks to ensure cases are heard without interruption and were inculcated for enhanced efficiency in the judicial process.The revisions were implemented through an amendment to the Supreme Court Rules of 2013, now revised as the Supreme Court (Second Amendment) Rules of 2024.

Under the new rules, the duration of partial working days and the number of holidays for the Court and its offices will be determined by the Chief Justice and published in the Official Gazette, ensuring they do not exceed ninety-five days, excluding Sundays. Previously, this limit was set at 103 days.

Amidst a lot of criticism revolving around the extended court breaks while the backlog of cases mounting up, even Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal highlighted recommendations from a parliamentary committee that had opined that Justice Lodha's suggestion on court vacations should be considered by the Judiciary.

Click Here To Read The Amended Rules