Delhi HC's Saturday working order sparks concern; Bar Association says 'no prior consultation'

New Delhi [India], October 29 (ANI): The Delhi High Court Bar Association (DHCBA) has written to the Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court expressing "deep concern and disquiet" among advocates over the recent notification mandating that each Bench of the Court will observe one working Saturday every month during 2025.
In its representation dated October 17, 2025, addressed to the Chief Justice, the Bar Association has conveyed that while it fully supports all initiatives aimed at improving judicial efficiency and reducing pendency, the decision to introduce monthly Saturday sittings was taken without consulting or informing the Bar.
The letter, signed by DHCBA President N. Hariharan and Honorary Secretary Vikram Singh Panwar, stated that since court functioning necessarily involves active participation of advocates, the absence of any consultation with the Bar has caused genuine hardship and a sense of exclusion.
The Association highlighted that under the current arrangement, lawyers would be required to be available every Saturday, as different Benches may choose different dates for their sittings. This, it said, would create "practical inconvenience, considerable difficulty for advocates, and disrupt work-life balance", imposing "disproportionate burdens on members of the Bar."
Seeking relief, the DHCBA urged that the Notification dated October 4, 2025, be kept in abeyance. Alternatively, it suggested that all benches could sit on one fixed Saturday each month to ensure uniformity and predictability.
Reiterating its commitment to cooperate with the Court in all reform-orientated initiatives, the Bar expressed confidence that its representation would receive "due consideration" from the Chief Justice. (ANI)