CJI Sanjiv Khanna clarifies not to reinstate old system of seeking adjournments

Nov 26, 2024

New Delhi [India], November 26 : Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna on Tuesday clarified that the Supreme Court will not go back to the old system of seeking adjournments by circulation of letters as it may be counterproductive.
Addressing the Constitution Day celebration being organised by the Supreme Court Bar Association, CJI Sanjiv Khanna said "...I have one request to make and I hope it will be taken in the right spirit. I have been repeatedly getting requests for re-circulation of letters of adjournment. I have looked into the data. The data shows that there were about 9,000-10,000 applications or letters for adjournments being circulated every 3 months which is more than 1,000 applications or letters for adjournment every day, so it is not going to be possible for us to go back to the earlier system."
"Whatever system we have now adopted, we can. If you look, if you come up with some suggestions for improvements, we look into it but going back to the earlier system may be counterproductive," he further said.
CJI Khanna said that judges come from the bar and go back to the bar.
"We belong to the bar. The better the bar, the better the judges," the CJI said.
CJI Khanna said that Constitution Day was also celebrated as Law Day.
"India since independence has had a transformative journey from a nation which under the aftermath of the horrors of partition, widespread illiteracy, poverty and hunger, and lack of a robust democratic system of checks and balances emerged today as a mature and a vibrant democracy," CJI Khanna said.
He added further, "A self-assured nation, a geopolitical leader but at the back of it is the Constitution of India which has helped this transformation. It is today a way of life that has to be lived up to," CJI said.