The Supreme Court of India is set to begin its annual summer recess, starting from May 20 until July 7. During this 51-day vacation period, the Court has planned a series of benches to continue hearing urgent matters, ensuring that judicial work does not come to a halt.
This year, the Court has organized 20 benches that will operate over seven weeks. Each week, except for one, will see three different benches in session to handle pressing legal issues. The only exception is the week from June 17 to June 23, during which only two benches will be convened.
The first week, running from May 20 to May 26, will see the benches of Justice Bela M. Trivedi and Justice Pankaj Mithal, Justice P.S. Narasimha and Justice Sanjay Karol, as well as Justice Deepankar Datta and Justice Satish Chandra Sharma in session.
In the subsequent weeks, different combinations of justices will preside over the benches. Notably, the second week from May 27 to June 2 will feature benches headed by Justices J.K. Maheshwari and K.V. Vishwanathan, alongside others including Justices Pankaj Mithal and Satish Chandra Sharma, as well as Justices Sanjay Karol and Arvind Kumar.
The following weeks will see various combinations of justices taking turns to preside over urgent matters, ensuring coverage throughout the vacation period. Noteworthy is the inclusion of 26 justices in these vacation benches, with 14 of them serving on benches for two different weeks. It is customary for the top five senior justices not to participate in the vacation benches.
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This annual practice of holding vacation benches ensures that the judiciary remains responsive and functional, even during the summer recess, addressing urgent matters that require immediate attention.
