NOTIFICATION REGARDING RESTORATION OF SECOND AND FOURTH SATURDAY AS WORKING DAYS

**Policy Analysis Report: Supreme Court Amendment Rules, 2025** **1. Executive Summary:** This report analyzes the Supreme Court Amendment Rules, 2025, as published in the Gazette of India. The amendment modifies the Supreme Court Rules, 2013, specifically altering the working hours of the Court's offices. The core purpose is to adjust the daily and Saturday operating hours, and to address office hours during partial working days and court holidays. The key findings indicate a change in the accessibility of the Supreme Court offices, which will impact legal professionals and other stakeholders needing to file or access court documents. **2. Introduction:** This report provides an overview and analysis of the Supreme Court Amendment Rules, 2025, based solely on the provided policy text. The aim is to inform affected parties, such as legal professionals, about the changes to the Court's office hours. **3. Policy Overview:** * This is an amendment to the Supreme Court Rules, 2013. * The core objective, as inferred from the text, is to modify and clarify the working hours of the Supreme Court offices. **4. Background and Rationale:** The amendment appears designed to address potential issues or inconsistencies in the original 2013 Rules regarding the operational hours of the Supreme Court offices. The specific changes suggest a need to refine accessibility during normal working days, Saturdays, partial working days, and court holidays (specifically Christmas and New Year's). This could be in response to feedback from legal professionals, administrative needs, or a desire to optimize office operations. The text provided does not give a specific reason. **5. Key Provisions / Changes:** This section focuses on the changes introduced by the 2025 amendment to the Supreme Court Rules, 2013, Order II. * **Part of Original Policy Changed:** Order II, Rules 1 to 3 of the Supreme Court Rules, 2013 are being substituted entirely. * **New Rules:** The amended rules stipulate the following: * **Rule 1:** Except during partial Court working days and on Saturdays and holidays, the offices of the Court will be open from 10:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. daily, subject to any order by the Chief Justice. Urgent work is accepted until 4:30 P.M. * **Rule 2:** Except during partial Court working days, the offices of the Court will be open on Saturdays from 10:00 A.M. to 1:00 P.M. Urgent work is accepted until 12:00 Noon. * **Rule 3:** The offices of the Court will be open during partial Court working days and Christmas and New Year holidays at times directed by the Chief Justice, except on days that are holidays for both the Court and its offices. * **Effect of Changes:** The changes clarify and specify the operating hours for the Supreme Court offices under various conditions: * **Normal Working Days:** The rule establishes a definitive daily operating time (10:00 AM - 5:00 PM). A cutoff time of 4:30 PM is established for non-urgent business. * **Saturdays:** The new rules establish specific Saturday hours (10:00 AM - 1:00 PM), with an earlier cutoff time for non-urgent business (12:00 Noon). * **Partial Working Days/Holidays:** The amendment delegates the setting of office hours during partial working days, Christmas, and New Year holidays to the discretion of the Chief Justice. **6. Target Audience and Stakeholders:** The primary stakeholders affected by these changes are: * Lawyers and legal professionals practicing before the Supreme Court. * Litigants and parties involved in cases before the Supreme Court. * Court staff and administrative personnel working in the Supreme Court offices. * Any individuals or organizations who need to file documents or conduct business with the Supreme Court. **7. Implementation Aspects (Inferred):** * **Responsible Agency/Bodies:** The Supreme Court of India, with the approval of the President, is responsible for implementing these rules. The Chief Justice has a role in determining office hours during partial working days and Christmas/New Year holidays. The Registrar (Kuntal Sharma Pathak, OSDRegistrar) is involved in the notification process. * **Timelines:** The rules come into force on July 14th, 2025. * **Specific Changes:** The key implementation aspect is the adjustment of operating hours. The Chief Justice's office needs to establish and communicate the office hours for partial working days and holidays. **8. Expected Outcomes / Impact of Changes:** The likely intended outcomes of these changes are: * Clear and standardized working hours for the Supreme Court offices, reducing ambiguity and uncertainty for stakeholders. * Improved efficiency in court administration by optimizing office operations. * Providing the Chief Justice with the flexibility to adjust office hours during exceptional circumstances (partial working days, holidays). * Potential impact on legal professionals regarding filing deadlines and accessibility to court services based on the modified hours. **9. Conclusion:** The Supreme Court Amendment Rules, 2025, represent a modification to the Supreme Court Rules, 2013, focusing on the operational hours of the Court's offices. The changes aim to provide clarity, standardization, and flexibility in office operations, potentially impacting legal professionals, litigants, and court staff. The amendments reflect a refinement of existing procedures to improve the accessibility and efficiency of the Supreme Court.

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