The Supreme Court is all set to operate with three Vacation Benches every week all through the upcoming summer recess, announced Justice BR Gavai, as part of a broader initiative to enhance judicial efficiency, continued access to justice and improving case disposal rates. The summer break this year will comprise “partial working days” and will begin from 26 May 2025, up until when the Full Court is set to resume on the 14 July, 2025.

The remarks of the judge came in the context of the hearing of a petition concerning the blocking of a ‘YouTube’ channel ‘4 PM News’. No sooner the bench issued a notice returnable after two weeks, Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the petitioner, urged the Court to schedule the matter for posting before the vacations.

Responding to this request, Justice Gavai clarified the nature of the summer break under the new framework adopted by the Court. He stated, “Vacations are partial working days now. It is not a vacation now. We are having three benches working every week.”

This comment is reflective of a significant shift in how the Supreme Court will function now during its traditional summer recess, under redefined recent procedural changes.

The scheduled period of vacations until full resumption on July 14, 2025 under revised rules adopted in 2024, is now officially designated as comprising “partial Court working days”, rather than being a complete cessation of judicial activity.

This change was implemented to ensure continued and constant access to justice even during court holidays, and during the corresponding period in 2024, Vacation Benches of the Supreme Court reportedly disposed of around 1,170 cases.

Justice Gavai, assumes office as the Chief Justice of India (CJI) on May 14, following the retirement of the current CJI, Justice Sanjiv Khanna.

While the Supreme Court is yet to officially notify the composition of the Vacation Benches for 2025, it has already issued a notice outlining key aspects of how cases will be listed during the summer break.

According to this notice:

• Miscellaneous matters, including fresh matters and those adjourned or pending after notice, will be taken up on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fridays each week.
• Regular hearing matters, along with urgent miscellaneous matters that are mentioned specifically, will be scheduled for Wednesdays and Thursdays.
• All bail matters, regardless of when they were filed, will be considered during the partial Court working days, ensuring that matters involving personal liberty are not delayed.
• A hybrid mode of hearing will be in place, allowing advocates and parties-in-person the option to appear via video conferencing, thus facilitating broader participation and accessibility.

Additionally, the Registry of the Supreme Court will remain operational throughout the partial Court working days, except on Saturdays, Sundays, and designated holidays. To ensure continuity of administrative functioning, the Registry will remain open on the last Saturday of this period, i.e., July 12, 2025.