Lawyer Absence Disrupts Calcutta High Court Saturday Hearings

The Story in Brief

The Calcutta High Court held a special sitting on Saturday, August 1, to make up for a holiday declared on July 6 for Syama Prasad Mookerjee’s 125th birth anniversary. The court had scheduled 210 working days and 61 holidays for 2025, apart from regular weekends. The Bar Association asked judges not to pass ex-parte orders because many lawyers might be absent.

Justice Saugata Bhattacharyya called 130 listed matters but recorded “Not Today” in each after no state counsel appeared. The courtroom closed at 11.10 am. A PIL seeking an independent inquiry into Prabhas Mondal’s custodial death was listed for August 18, along with similar petitions.

The Indian Opinion

Special weekend sittings can help courts meet their schedules, but they may be unfair when lawyers or government counsel cannot attend. The reported absence of state counsel also points to possible coordination problems. The custodial death petition concerns a serious issue, but responsibility should not be judged before the court examines evidence and the state’s response. Strong conclusions would be premature.

Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com

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