NEW DELHI, APR 26
The Supreme Court on Monday decided to advance its summer vacation, which will now commence from May 8 in view of sudden surge in COVID-19 cases.
Chief Justice N V Ramana on his first working day held an “emergent meeting” with bar bodies, including Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), Supreme Court Advocates on Record Association (SCAORA) and Bar Council of India, to take stalk of rising COVID situation.
Senior advocate and SCBA president Vikas Singh said that “it has been decided in the emergent meeting that instead of May 14, the Summer Vacation will now commence on May 8 and would end on June 27”.
He said that the CJI also approved in principle the opening of the COVID care centre in the new chamber building of the Supreme Court.
“SCBA executive council has approached the Delhi government to inspect the place and submit a feasibility report. Tehsildar Chanakyapuri is already briefed to make arrangements for inspection of the building,” Singh said.
Meanwhile, SCAORA secretary Joseph Aristotle said that CJI has principally agreed to provide suitable area for establishing medical facilities for at least 60 beds and other facilities like RT-PCR test and vaccination.
The SCBA and SCAORA have both requested the Chief Justice to advance the summer vacation in the wake of the rampaging second wave of coronavirus pandemic.
SCAORA’s executive council member Sachin Sharma said that the bar body has written to the Chief Justice of India seeking advancing of summer vacation in view of surge in COVID-19 cases.
In a letter to the newly appointed CJI, SCBA’s Vikas Singh also suggested that additional building on the court premises can be put to use for augmenting Delhi’s already healthcare facilities.
The bar body urged the CJI to urgently approve temporary conversion of the Advocates’ Chamber Block in the additional Supreme Court Complex for use as a Covid-care centre or field hospital.
The SCBA had suggested that the summer vacation can be curtailed by one week so as to limit it to six weeks instead of seven, considering the huge pendency created due to the pandemic.
The Bar body said that in such difficult and unprecedented times, the SCBA has taken the initiative to provide as much aid and support as it can to its members and their families.
However, the lack of medical infrastructure in and around Delhi has hampered the admission of its members and their families in hospitals in this hour of need, the SCBA said.
