Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on Friday announced that the Supreme Court will hold a special vacation sitting on December 22 to hear urgent cases. He stated that a decision on whether one or more benches would sit would be taken after assessing the volume of urgent matters requiring consideration.

The CJI made these remarks when several advocates orally mentioned matters seeking urgent listing on Friday itself, as the Court was closing for its winter vacation. The Supreme Court is scheduled to resume its regular functioning on January 5, 2025.

Responding to one such request, the CJI remarked, “All those who are in the queue seeking listing, will you argue on Monday? We are ready to sit on Monday.” He made it clear that no matters would be listed on the same day.

Emphasising the heavy workload, the Chief Justice noted that there had been substantial filings throughout the week and that judges were already overburdened with reading briefs. He questioned how the judges could be expected to study fresh files if additional matters were listed at the last minute.

“We will list on Monday on the condition that you will argue,” the CJI told the counsel, underscoring that listings during the vacation sitting would be meaningful only if parties were fully prepared to argue their cases.

He further explained that wherever urgent mentioning memos are submitted, the Registry would scrutinise whether genuine urgency exists. If so, such matters would be listed on December 22, provided counsels are ready to proceed with arguments.

“The Hon’ble judges have been reading files the entire night because of the volume of filings. They have spent the whole night going through briefs. I am not going to ask them to read a new brief today,” the CJI observed.

When additional matters concerning child custody, bail, and protection from arrest were mentioned, the CJI reiterated that the Registry would examine whether real urgency was involved. In cases where genuine urgency—such as interim bail or custody disputes—is found, the matters would be listed on December 22.

He added that the decision on whether one bench or multiple benches would be constituted for the vacation sitting would depend on the number of urgent matters cleared for listing.