'No Senior Advocate Allowed To Appear In My Court During Vacations': Justice Vikram Nath

Justice Vikram Nath of the Supreme Court said that he will not allow Senior Advocates to make oral mention or make appearance in his court during the partial court working days.

When a senior advocate attempted to mention a matter, Justice Nath said, "Senior Advocates are not allowed to mention in my court during vacations". 

Justice Nath also did not allow Advocate Mathews Nedumpara to make a mention, though Nedumpara pointed out that he was not a designated senior. "In my eyes, Mr.Nedumpara is a senior."

Senior Advocate Siddharth Dave requested Justice Nath to implement the rule from tomorrow, saying that the seniors were not aware of this decision taken by Justice Nath. Justice Nath said that he has been following this rule during all summer vacations.

Dave said that in matters where seniors were appearing earlier, they should be allowed to appear. "These are matters in which notice was issued last week. We were engaged to appear," Dave said. He further said that it was no longer "vacations" but "partial court working days", where certain benches are regularly sitting every day to hear regular matters. He added that all benches are not following a uniform practice regarding this.

Justice Nath said that the decision has been taken to give opportunities to young lawyers and Advocates-on-Record. Dave said that the other benches are allowing seniors to appear today, and requested that he may be allowed to appear in a matter since he had appeared in it last week. The judge however did not change his stance.

"Let young lawyers come. No senior advocate is permitted to appear in my court during partial working days," Justice Nath said. 

When Dave said, "nobody knew" of this decision, Justice Nath reiterated that this was the practice of his bench during every vacation. "Everybody knows. For the past 4 years I am following this. Mr. Courtmaster, please have the senior advocates leave the court," Justice Nath said.

Justice Nath also did not allow Senior Advocate Sanjay Hegde to appear in a matter and asked the instructing counsel to make submissions.

Justice Narasimha and Justice Sanjay Karol, who are heading the other benches, also did not allow seniors to appear. However, Justice Dipankar Datta's court allowed seniors' appearances.