Delhi HC Bar Association Seeks Reconsideration of Working Saturdays Decision

The Delhi High Court Bar Association (DHCBA) has raised objections to the recent decision mandating that each Bench of the Delhi High Court will work on one Saturday every month during 2025.

In a letter to Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya, the DHCBA said the decision—finalised in a Full Court meeting on September 22 and notified on October 4—has created “deep concern and disquiet” among lawyers. The association argued that the move could cause inconvenience, lack of uniformity, and disturb the work-life balance of advocates.

While acknowledging the High Court’s efforts to improve efficiency and reduce case pendency, the DHCBA pointed out that the Bar was not consulted before the decision was made. “Since the functioning of courts necessarily involves the active participation of advocates, the absence of consultation has caused genuine hardship and a sense of exclusion,” the letter stated.

The association urged the Court to either keep the decision in abeyance or declare a single common Saturday as a working day for all Benches.

According to the High Court’s notification, different Benches may choose different Saturdays to function each month. However, the DHCBA highlighted that this would effectively force lawyers to remain available on all Saturdays, leading to uncertainty and additional workload.

“This arrangement would require advocates to stay prepared for hearings every weekend, which is impractical and affects their personal time,” the Bar said, calling for reconsideration of the move.