Can't let the SC become 'tareekh pe tareekh' court: Justice Chandrachud

Criticising lawyers' practice of seeking adjournments in cases, Supreme Court judge Justice D.Y. Chandrachud on Friday said the top court will not become a "tareekh pe tareekh" court (having date after date for matters).

A bench of Justices Chandrachud and Hima Kohli, declining to accept the request of a lawyer to adjourn the matter, said the court will not adjourn the matter, instead it can be passed over and taken up at the end of the board.

"We don't want the Supreme Court to be a 'tareekh pe tareekh' court. We want to change this perception," Justice Chandrachud said.

The bench asked the lawyer to argue the matter, instead of seeking an adjournment and pointed out that the lawyer is appearing before the highest court. The bench said judges go through the matters listed before them and burn the midnight oil to prepare the next day, while lawyers appear before them and seek adjournment.

In another matter, the bench declined to expunge the remarks made against a lawyer by a high court.

It pulled up the lawyer for filing the petition under Article 32 of the Constitution, which is the right to move the apex court for enforcement of fundamental rights. The bench said such frivolous petitions are making the apex court dysfunctional and it is time to send a strong message, as 5-10 minutes spent on such petitions deprives a genuine litigant, who is waiting for justice.

The top court said these days nearly 60 cases are listed for hearing before each court on miscellaneous days. Expressing displeasure at lawyers who do not argue their matters, Justice Chandrachud said he had to wake up till late in the night to go through the case files and judges are working hard.