Mumbai: In a bid to improve judicial efficiency and reduce delays, the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) of the Esplanade Court has issued a circular directing judicial officers, registrars, senior judicial clerks, and other court staff to strictly adhere to prescribed court hours.
Circular Issued to Judicial Officers and Court Staff
The directive, prompted by a surprise inspection from the Principal Judge of the City Civil and Sessions Court, notes that some judicial officers are still failing to occupy the dais on time, resulting in court proceedings starting later than the stipulated hours.
“It is once again brought to the notice of all Judicial Officers that the prescribed Court hours are 11:00 a.m. to 02:00 p.m. in the Morning Session and 02:45 p.m. to 05:45 p.m. in the Afternoon Session. If the Court hours are not observed punctually, it results in delays in the trials/hearing of matters and further causes inconvenience to Advocates and Litigants. It is therefore essential for the Judicial Officers to observe the prescribed Court hours punctually. It is therefore requested of all Judicial Officers that they should adhere to the Court timings strictly, and non-compliance thereof will be viewed seriously,” reads the circular, a copy of which is with FPJ.
Delays Impact Access to Justice and Case Resolution
“Prescribed court hours must be observed punctually and scrupulously,” the CJM stated, adding that delays not only slow down proceedings but also affect access to justice.
Legal Fraternity Welcomes Move to Improve Efficiency
The move has drawn strong support from members of the legal fraternity. Advocate Mithil Vinod Sampat stressed the human and commercial cost of judicial delays. “Delays of any nature ultimately affect the suffering party, both personally and commercially, and timely legal protection can often be the difference between daylight and doom. For example, a person whose life savings are stuck in a delayed possession project (while continuing to pay EMIs), or a builder who—through no fault of his own—faces liability, or an undertrial yearning for an acquittal order to clear his record. Every day there are emergencies and urgencies that must be addressed over and above the scheduled list of matters—such as vacating a dilapidated building, or matters of life and death, or other situations where timely hearings are crucial. Often, if a matter is not heard on the scheduled day, it is adjourned by months, requiring further procedures to list it again as an urgent matter. This circular will greatly benefit genuine parties who are truly in need of justice.”
Advocate Anirudh Yadav highlighted how late starts disrupt scheduling for lawyers handling multiple matters. “Advocates endure severe scheduling challenges when courts begin late, as delayed seating disrupts their ability to manage matters across multiple courts and slows case resolution. If hearings are strictly adhered to during working hours, more pending cases could be cleared, offering real relief—especially to prisoners in overcrowded jails like Arthur Road, which the superintendent has flagged as housing over 3,460 inmates against its capacity of 999. The Chief Justice of India, B.R. Gavai, recently cautioned that trial delays ‘can stretch for decades’ and called the legal system ‘badly in need of fixing,’ urging reforms to restore timely justice. These coordinated efforts signal a promising shift toward efficiency and fairness in the judicial process. We thank the Ld. Chief Judicial Magistrate for this timely effort, which is a positive step toward faster, fairer justice.”
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Overcrowded Jails Highlight Need for Timely Hearings
Advocate Prathamesh Gaikwad echoed similar concerns, noting that late hearings disrupt multiple court matters and slow case disposal. “Overcrowded jails, with Arthur Road housing more than triple its capacity, make timely hearings essential. We welcome the CJM’s directive as a move toward faster and fairer justice.”
