The Supreme Court Advocates-on-Record Association (SCAORA) has written to the newly appointed Chief Justice of India, Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai, urging the restoration of the long-standing practice of circulating adjournment letters and seeking transparency in the sequencing of hearings across courtrooms.
In a detailed letter submitted on Tuesday, SCAORA emphasized the practical difficulties faced by advocates since the discontinuation of the adjournment letter circulation mechanism. Highlighting the utility of the earlier system, the Association stated:
“The long-standing practice of circulating adjournment letters in the Supreme Court was discontinued owing to the decision of the competent authority, which has caused severe impediment to the members of the Association over the past several months, who despite being indisposed owing to genuine causes, are unable to request the Hon’ble Court in advance.”
The Association further argued that restoring this practice would not only assist advocates facing personal or professional emergencies but also ensure smoother functioning of court proceedings, reduce scheduling conflicts, and prevent unnecessary financial burden on litigants, particularly when matters involving Senior Advocates are adjourned without prior notice.
“Restoring the circulation of adjournment letters would enable advocates to promptly inform the Court when they are unable to appear, ensuring that cases are rescheduled in a timely manner,” the letter noted, adding that this would also help the Court manage its docket efficiently.
In addition, SCAORA raised concerns about the inconsistent and last-minute dissemination of hearing sequences in various courtrooms. Currently, the order in which matters are taken up is displayed only between 10:15 and 10:30 AM on the day of the hearing, leaving little room for preparation or coordination.
“On account of the display of the sequence series in the morning of the listing, there is very little reaction time for all the stakeholders,” SCAORA observed. The Association suggested that the sequence of hearings in each courtroom be made available in the Supplementary List or through a separate notice at least a day in advance, to allow better preparedness.
SCAORA concluded the letter by extending congratulations and a “heartfelt welcome” to Justice Gavai on his assumption of office as the 51st Chief Justice of India.
Notably, in November 2024, former CJI Justice Sanjiv Khanna had made it clear that the old practice of seeking adjournments via circulation would not be restored. The Supreme Court had first suspended the circulation of adjournment letters in December 2023, and in February 2024, implemented a revised protocol limiting such requests to specific categories and permitting only a one-time circulation.
