Chief Justice of India BR Gavai on Wednesday expressed displeasure over the common perception that the judiciary alone is responsible for case pendency, pointing out that lawyers themselves often resist working during court vacations.

The remark came during a hearing before a bench comprising CJI Gavai and Justice Augustine George Masih, when an advocate requested that a matter be scheduled only after the summer break.

"The top five judges, including myself, are working through the vacation period. Despite this, we’re held accountable for the pile-up of cases. The truth is, it’s the lawyers who are not keen on working during these breaks," the CJI observed.

This follows the Supreme Court’s recent announcement regarding its functioning during the upcoming summer holidays — now being referred to as "partial court working days" — which will run from May 26 to July 13.

Notably, unlike previous years where only two benches operated during vacation and senior judges refrained from holding court, this time there will be two to five benches active at a time, including those headed by the most senior judges.

As per the official schedule, from May 26 to June 1, the five vacation benches will be led by CJI Gavai, and Justices Suryakant, Vikram Nath, J.K. Maheshwari, and B.V. Nagarathna, respectively.

During this period, the Supreme Court registry will remain open on working days from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., while remaining closed on weekends (except Saturday, July 12), Sundays, and gazetted holidays.