Allahabad High Court Seeks Bar Views On Declaring 12 Non-Working Saturdays As HC Working Days

In its official letter dated May 14, 2025, the office of the Registrar General of the HC has sought the opinion of the president and secretary of the High Court Bar Association, Advocates' Association, and the Oudh Bar Association (Lucknow bench), on the issue.

These days, it is proposed could be utilised for the hearing of cases that are more than 5 years old.

The letter has been written pursuant to the recommendation mentioned in Para 49 (ii) of Policy and Action Plan of National Court Management System (NCMS)-2024, which states thus:

"One Saturday of every month may be assigned for hearing of cases more than 5 years old. If any High Court remains closed on all Saturdays of the month but the pendency is huge, the calendar for 2025 ought to be so settled to factor in at least 12 working Saturdays in a year."

After receiving the responses of the bar bodies, a full bench of the HC will consider the proposal.

Of late, the Supreme Court has expressed its concerns over the mounting pendency of cases in the Allahabad High Court. In February this year, the Top court stressed upon filling up of judicial vacancies at the HC.

It noted : “In last two months, we have come across many writ petitions filed by the litigants whose proceedings are pending before the High Court of Judicature at Allahabad past more than three decades seeking directions that the matter should be heard expeditiously by the High Court. There is no doubt that the High Court of Allahabad is flooded with litigation. We are informed that each Hon'ble Judge in the High Court has with him or her around 15000 to 20000 matters. The High Court has a sanctioned strength of 160 Judges but unfortunately is working today with a strength of 84 Judges. The litigants are eagerly waiting for their matters be taken up and decided.

'Each Judge Has 15K-20K Matters' : Supreme Court Expresses Concern At Allahabad HC Case Pendency; Stresses On Need To Fill Vacancies

A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) plea is presently pending in the Allahabad High Court seeking a direction for the timely and expeditious filling of all the judicial vacancies in the High Court in a time-bound manner.

The HC is working with only 88 judges (including the Chief Justice), despite having a sanctioned strength of 160.