Khushi Gupta
Published on: May 31, 2022 at 21:01 IST
The Supreme Court on Monday remarked that the vacation benches in the Top Court are meant for the young lawyers to learn the ropes and not for the senior counsel to continue appearing even as it implored several veteran lawyers to exercise “self-restraint”.
The Bench of Justices Ajay Rastogi and BV Nagarathna was emphatic that vacation is the time when young lawyers should take the centre stage. Starting May 23, the vacation benches in the apex court will sit till July 8.
Justice Rastogi asked several senior lawyers to refrain from showing up and instead make way for the junior lawyers. The court’s beseeching commenced when Senior Counsel Kapil Sibal mentioned a case for an urgent listing. Sibal was appearing for a Karnataka-based coal mining company as he requested for a date of hearing.
“Give chance to the junior lawyers to mention during the vacation…argue some cases,” the Judge told the Senior Counsel.
Sibal agreed with the bench. “I have always been supportive of the fact that juniors should appear during vacations. I feel seniors should be barred from appearing during vacations.”
“But this also creates an uneven balance. Sometimes, senior law officers like the solicitor general come and mention before the vacation bench. It becomes difficult then.”
“The issue is when some really important matters are taken up during vacations, then we have to be present there.”
“Vacation is not meant for seniors. It is only for juniors,” Justice Rastogi told Singhvi.
The Bench, however, eventually allowed both Singhvi and Rohatgi to appear and argue cases physically.
The Supreme Court Bar Association President and Senior Lawyer Vikas Singh called the bench’s thought laudable.