[BREAKING] Bombay High Court to hear plea against long court vacations after Diwali vacation

The Bombay High Court on Thursday agreed to hear after Diwali vacation, the plea challenging the practice of courts taking long vacations thereby affecting filing and hearing of case during such vacation period..The matter was mentioned on Thursday before a bench of Justices SV Gangapurwala and RN Ladhha by advocate Mathews Naedumpara. "Milords we are not against the court vacations.. The issue is for filing of petition during vacation also we need permission from vacation bench," he said.The bench initially asked why the petition was being filed now considering the fact that the High Court calendar was made in November last year.It eventually agreed to list the case on November 15."We came to know about this petition from the news. Okay (list on) November 15," the bench directed..The plea filed by one Sabina Lakdawala has sought a declaration that closing courts for more than 70 days for any kind of vacation is a violation of fundamental rights of litigants."Such practice of long vacations is liable to be brought to an end," the plea said.The plea also prayed that the High Court be kept fully functional during the upcoming Diwali vacation by ensuring that adequate number of judges are available to hear and adjudicate all cases and by issuing directions to registry to receive all petitions without insisting on permission from the vacation bench..The petitioner urged the High Court to abandon the closure of courts in the name of vacation, a relic of the colonial era which was being followed mechanically and mindlessly.Lakdawala also acknowledged that while both judges and lawyers need breaks, keeping it limited to weekends and gazzeted holidays will suffice the purpose.She clarified that her contention was not that vacation be denied to judges and lawyers and their workload be increased.It was only that judges could be encouraged to take leave at different times of the year so that the Court remains functional round the year.