Supreme Court judge upset over statement of less work, said – works till midnight even on holidays

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday lamented that despite the efforts made by judges, they have to hear comments regarding their low workload when the truth is that they work past midnight even during holidays. A vacation bench of Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice Satish Chandra Sharma said this while hearing the petition of former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren challenging his/her arrest in a money laundering case and seeking interim bail to campaign in the Lok Sabha elections. Commented. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing in the court on behalf of Soren, complained that the Jharkhand High Court bench took two months to deliver its verdict on the JMM leader’s plea against the arrest of former Chief Minister Hemant Soren.

‘Judges also have to do their homework’
Justice Dutta said, ‘Mr Sibal, the unfortunate thing is that despite the efforts we have made as judges, we have to hear that judges do very little.’ he/she said that judges also have to do their homework. The Supreme Court said, ‘The judge is not before us. They cannot tell who stopped them from giving the verdict. Therefore, the benefit (of doubt) should be given to them.’

‘Delay in decision affects people’
Sibal said that delay in delivering the verdict impacts the citizens. “You allow cognizance (of the ED prosecution complaint) and my petition becomes futile,” he/she said. This is a matter of personal freedom. this is very sad. All of them are High Court judges. The bench said it could only hope and trust that the courts dispose of the cases expeditiously. Sibal said, ‘This is happening every day in the High Court. There is no one to hear our case, and no one to decide on it. In matters of personal freedom people go to the courts. You can say anything, but this is the truth.

‘Even on holidays, work has to be done till midnight’
Quoting an article published in the newspaper, Justice Dutta said, ‘Even during holidays, we are working till midnight and those who say all these things are part of the government.’ he/she said, ‘Not a single appeal from the Center or the State comes to the Supreme Court within the stipulated time limit of 60 or 90 days. They all apply for condonation of this delay. Justice Dutta said, ‘Those who criticize the judiciary should think about these things. For a simple appeal for which 90 days or 60 days is given, the officials do not come on time and they say that we do less work.

‘Judges working in two shifts’
Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, appearing for the ED, said that he/she is in favor of vacation in the courts. Raju said, ‘In the recent case, I approve of leave. I said that the courts are entitled to leave because they are working in two shifts. Sibal acknowledged the workload on judges in the country. he/she said, ‘This is the country where judges have the highest workload. In no other country do judges have this much workload. We all know this.

The bench said that cases involving personal liberty should be decided expeditiously and there is no dispute about it. The bench said, ‘This court itself has laid down guidelines that if a case is not decided within three months, a party can approach the Chief Justice of the High Court and seek transfer of the case to some other judge. Could.’ Justice Sharma said that he/she has been in four High Courts and such cases are decided on top priority. “I don’t want to say anything else,” Sibal said.