Ambedkar Jayanti | Supreme Court Will Remain Closed on April 14

Amid calls to declare Ambedkar Jayanti as a court holiday, the Supreme Court of India has announced that the court as well as the registry would remain closed on Friday, April 14, to commemorate the birth anniversary of BR Ambedkar, who is also known as the ‘Father of the Indian Constitution’. In a circular released by the court today, it has been declared: “Hon’ble the Chief Justice of India has directed that the Supreme Court of India and its Registry shall remain closed on Friday, the 14th April, 2023 on account of the birthday of Dr BR Ambedkar.” Before this circular was released, there were instances of speculation in various courtrooms today with respect to whether Friday was a working day. While hearing the Tamil Nadu cash-for-job scam case, a bench of Justices Krishna Murari and V Ramasubramanian were seen discussing whether the court would remain closed on April 14. Senior Advocate C Aryama Sundaram told the bench, “In all my years, this day is never shown as a holiday on the court’s calendar. But every single year, two days before April 14, it is declared as a holiday.” Senior advocate Sidharth Luthra also pointed out to the bench that the Supreme Court Advocates-on-Record Association had already circulated a message to its members saying that the top court would be closed on Friday to observe Ambedkar Jayanti. Laughing, Justice Ramasubramanian said, “They seem to have issued a notification even before we did.” Notably, a group of Ambedkarite lawyers have also reportedly written to the chief justice urging him to declare April 14 a permanent court holiday. This year will mark the 132nd birth anniversary of Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar who is hailed as the architect of the Indian Constitution. A Dalit icon, Babasaheb Ambedkar was also independent India’s first law minister and a relentless social reformer.

Ambedkar Jayanti | Supreme Court Will Remain Closed on April 14

Awstika Das

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