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 14^th 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 132^nd 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.