Alka Verma –
Published On: September 24, 2021 at 11:20 IST
The Supreme Court barred the permission of rehashed Adjournment regularly.
The Supreme Court also advised the Trial Court Judges to peril becoming disagreeable among advocates by declining astatine the driblet of a chapeau radical request for suspension of hearings.
A Bench comprising Justices M R Shah and A S Bopanna stated, “The courts shall be very slow in granting adjournments. The time has now come to change the work culture and get out of the adjournment culture so that the confidence and trust put by the litigants in the justice delivery system is not shaken and the rule of law is maintained.”
While composing the Judgment, Justice Shah also emphasized on a point that numerous times the strategy utilized by corrupt defendants is to look for rehashed Adjournment and create huge setbacks to deny equity to the contrary party.
Adding to it, Justice Shah stated, “Repeated adjournments break the back of litigants. The courts are enjoined upon to perform their duties with the object of strengthening the confidence of the common man in the institution entrusted with the administration of justice.”
Further, the Bench stated that anything which is trying to weaken the system, shall be discouraged.
“Any effort which weakens the system and shakes the faith of the common man in the justice dispensation has to be discouraged. Therefore, the courts shall not grant adjournments in a routine manner and mechanically and shall not be a party to cause for delay in dispensing justice. The courts have to be diligent and take timely action in order to usher in an efficient justice dispensation system and maintain faith in rule of law,” stated the Bench.
Familiar with the work culture of the Trial Court, the Apex Court stated that “The judicial officer shall not worry about that if his conscience is clear. The judicial officer has to bear in mind his duties to the litigants who are before the courts and who have come for justice and for whom courts are meant and make all efforts to provide timely justice to the litigants.”
The Court also talked about how local people and parties seeking equity are facing problems because of the prevailing work culture.
“It cannot be disputed that due to delay in access to justice and not getting timely justice may shake the trust and confidence of the litigants in the justice delivery system,” stated the Bench.
At last, the Court made it very clear that now the prevailing culture has to change and no more adjournments will be tolerated.
Also Read: What is Court Adjournment?
Delay in Trials – A Disgrace to Indian Law System