SC advances summer vacation by a week due to second wave of COVID-19 pandemic

Satya Prakash
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, April 26

The Supreme Court on Monday decided to advance its summer vacation by a week in view of second wave of COVID-19 pandemic that has claimed several lives, including those of lawyers.

Now summer vacation will commence from May 8 and the top court will reopen on June 28, Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) President Vikas Singh said.

It was tentatively decided in a meeting the Bar leaders had with CJI NV Ramana, he said.

The CJI has also “in principle” approved the opening of the COVID-19 care centre in the new chamber building of the Supreme Court.

The place will be used for establishing medical facilities for at least 60 beds and other facilities such as RT-PCR tests and COVID-19 vaccination.

The SCBA Executive Committee has approached the Delhi government to inspect the place and submit a feasibility report, Singh said.

“Tehsildar Chanakyapuri has already been briefed to make arrangements for inspection of the building,” he said.

The SCBA had on Sunday requested Chief Justice of India NV Ramana to advance the summer vacation of the Supreme Court in view of the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic.

In a letter to CJI Ramana, five senior-most judges, the secretary general of the Supreme Court and the SCBA president had said the summer break could begin on April 26 and end by June 6 with regular courts commencing from June 7.

The summer vacation should be curtailed by a week from seven weeks to six weeks, it added.

Noting that the second wave of COVID-19 was set to reach its peak by mid-May and the Delhi government has also extended its lockdown till the beginning of May, the SCBA had suggested that summer vacation should be advanced.

Singh had also urged them to convert the newly constructed advocates chamber building to a COVID-19 care centre for lawyers, court staff and their families affected by the pandemic.

If the vacant lawyers’ chamber block in the new premises was allocated to be used as a COVID care centre, the Delhi government can be asked to take over it and make it operational.

It pointed out that its members were suffering due to the pandemic and many of its members have died in the last few days.

The SCBA letter had expressed the hope that considering the “grim situation”, the suggestions made by it would be accepted immediately so that the necessary follow up action could be taken by the Delhi government at the earliest.