SCBA asks SC to prepone, curtail summer vacations

The Supreme Court 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 the grim situation of the Covid-19 pandemic in Delhi and the extension of lockdown for another week.

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

In a letter to the CJI and other six senior-most judges, the Bar body led by its President Vikas Singh said the prevailing pandemic has caused immense disruption to the legal fraternity across the country. Given the current situation and the likelihood of pandemic touching its peak in the middle of May, there may be a further extension of lockdown in Delhi.

The Supreme Court may consider preponing the summer vacations so that it may commence from April 26, 2021. The vacations may be curtailed by one week so as to limit to six weeks, instead of, seven weeks, considering the huge pendency of cases created due to the pandemic, the letter stated.