The Supreme Court addressed the criticism regarding the lengthy vacations taken by the apex court and high courts, stating that those who criticize fail to understand the workload judges carry, even on weekends.
During a hearing on Thursday, the bench of justices B R Gavai and Sandeep Mehta responded to Solicitor General Tushar Mehta's remarks, emphasizing that judges have a rigorous schedule, including working on Saturdays and Sundays.
"People who criticise, they don’t understand that we don’t have holidays on Saturdays and Sundays. There are other assignments, conferences," said Gavai.
The issue arose during the hearing of a lawsuit filed by the West Bengal government against the CBI. The apex court, which scheduled arguments for Thursday, aimed to conclude them before the commencement of its summer vacation on May 20.
Mehta defended the necessity of vacations, highlighting the demanding nature of judges' responsibilities. He underscored that judges handle numerous cases daily, justifying the need for periodic breaks. "All those who criticise that Supreme Court and high courts are on long vacations, they don’t know how judges work," said Mehta.
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal echoed Mehta's sentiment, describing the judicial role as the toughest job in the country. "It is the toughest job in the country."
The bench emphasized that during vacations, judges focus on writing judgments for cases heard during regular sessions, highlighting the importance of these periods for judicial work.
"People who do not know the system criticize it," Mehta remarked, stressing the misunderstanding among critics regarding the judiciary's operational dynamics.