Supreme Court advances summer vacations to May 8 in view of Covid-19

In view of massive rise in Covid-19 cases, the Supreme Court on Monday agreed to advance its summer vacations to May 8 and re-open the top court on June 28 tentatively.

Chief Justice of India N V Ramana also agreed to a demand for giving space to establish medical facilities including at least 60 beds, RT-PCR test, vaccination for lawyers.

"An emergeny meeting was held by the Chief Justice of India with the representatives of Bar Council of India, SC Bar Association and SC Advocates-on-Record Association this afternoon and it was proposed that the summer vacations may be advanced to May 8 and accordingly reopening to June 28 tentatively," Secretary, SCAORA Joseph Aristotle said.

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He added that the final decision would be taken up by the CJI.

According to the Supreme Court calendar, summer vacations were proposed from May 14 to June 30.

In a letter to the CJI and other judges, the SC Bar Association has asked the top court to prepone the summer vacations from proposed May 14, and curtail it by one week, in view of grim situation of Covid-19 pandemic in Delhi and the extension of lockdown for another week.

It also asked the top court to approve temporary conversion of advocates chamber block in the additional Supreme Court complex for use as Covid care centre or field hospital.