New Delhi, Dec 31, 2025: For the first time, the Supreme Court held vacation benches during its winter break, with Chief Justice of India Surya Kant sitting on multiple occasions to hear urgent matters despite the court being officially closed for holidays.
The top court was shut from Dec. 22 to Jan. 2, 2026, for Christmas and New Year, but special benches were constituted to deal with cases requiring immediate attention. The court will resume regular functioning on Jan. 5.
On Dec. 22, a vacation bench of Chief Justice Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi heard 17 urgent matters, including criminal and civil cases. The court said the initiative was aimed at ensuring access to justice during the vacation period.
On Dec. 29, another vacation bench headed by the chief justice took up a suo motu matter concerning the definition of the Aravalli hills and stayed its earlier directions that had accepted a uniform definition of the range.
The bench said it was necessary to resolve “critical ambiguities,” warning that existing criteria could potentially strip a significant portion of the hills of environmental safeguards.
Other vacation benches also dealt with sensitive matters. A bench of Justices J.K. Maheshwari and Augustine George Masih stayed a Delhi High Court order suspending the life sentence of expelled BJP leader Kuldeep Singh Sengar in the 2017 Unnao rape case, directing that he remain in custody.
On Dec. 31, a vacation bench of Justices M.M. Sundresh and Prashant Kumar Mishra conducted online hearings, including a habeas corpus petition alleging illegal arrest by Uttar Pradesh Police and a civil dispute over property.
During the winter break, the Supreme Court also issued a new standard operating procedure to streamline hearings. The SOP requires lawyers to submit timelines for oral arguments in advance and file written submissions of up to five pages before hearings.
“All counsel shall strictly adhere to the timelines fixed and conclude their oral arguments,” the circular said.
Chief Justice Kant has earlier said the court would introduce parameters in the new year to better rationalise judicial time and improve court management.
