Delhi judges should mark their leave one day in advance: Delhi High Court

Judicial officers in Delhi have been directed to send intimation of their intention to take leave at least one day in advance to concerned District and Session Judge and update it on the Delhi District Courts Website.
Delhi High Court
Delhi High Court
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The Delhi High Court on Friday directed all Principal District and Sessions judges in the State to issue circulars mandating that all judicial officers in the State intimate the concerned District and Session Judge about their intention to take leave at least one day in advance, and update the same on the Delhi District Court website immediately.

The communication by the Registrar General of the High Court also stated that the circular should mandate that in case of any hardship or unforeseen exigency, when leave is applied at the last moment, intimation should be sent through electronic means to the concerned judicial officer so that the same is received at the office of Principal of District and Sessions Judge before 10 am, enabling the updation of the same on the website for intimation of all concerned.

The Delhi District Court judges were also directed to maintain a register in their respective offices:

"I am further directed to request you to issue direction for maintaining a Register in your respective offices containing following fields:

a) Name of the Judicial Officer

b) Date(s) for which leave is sought

c) Date and Time of receiving the leave application in the office

d) Date and time of uploading the intimation on the website," the communication said.

A public interest litigation is pending before the Court filed by advocate Amish Aggarwala seeking directions for “prior intimation of leave by judicial officers", as done by High Court judges.

The grievance of the petitioner in the said plea was that the "Judges on Leave" section on the website of the Delhi District Courts, is updated only only on the concerned day itself, that too post 11:00 am.

The plea said that such unannounced absence of a judge affected advocates and litigants alike.

Thousands of Advocates, briefed by the said litigants, prepare their case briefs, spending hours on each brief. Many of them sacrifice sleep, meals, and peace of mind to ensure that they reach court in time and with good preparation,” the plea said.

The petition was first heard in 2019. During one of the recent hearings, a Bench of Delhi High Court comprising Chief Justice DN Patel and C Hari Shankar had adjourned the case with observation that necessary directions would be passed on the administrative side.

[Read Delhi High Court communication]

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