Sanjeev Sanyal slams judiciary's long vacations: 'This cannot go on'

Sanjeev Sanyal, Member of the Prime Minister's Economic Advisory Council (PM EAC), has slammed the practice of long judicial vacations, calling it an unacceptable part of India's legal system. "This cannot go on," said Sanyal while speaking at the Nyaya Nirmaan 2025 event. "The judiciary is a public service like any other part of the state. I also work in the government. I also take vacations. But the judges are very happy for them to take vacations. But why should the entire court system be shut down for this?"

Sanyal pointed out that, like other public services, the judiciary should not be closed for long stretches, especially when essential functions like policing and healthcare continue. "Let's say some other profession does this. Let's say the doctors decide that we will take summer vacation, the Dussehra vacation, winter vacation and shut down the hospitals for large parts of the time and we will have vacation benches for emergency cases. Would that be acceptable? Why is it acceptable then for something that is effectively the responsibility of the state and as a citizen something I should expect from the state and particular branch of the state?"

The criticism was part of a broader call for reform within India's legal system. The economist emphasised the urgency of transforming the system, especially considering India's demographic window of opportunity for economic growth. "We effectively have somewhere between 20 and 25 years to become Viksit Bharat," he said, stressing that without changes to the legal ecosystem, India's goal of becoming a developed nation may remain out of reach.

Sanyal also advocated for an overhaul of judicial and legal processes, pointing out the inefficiencies caused by unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles. "If we do not see a major overhaul of the entire legal ecosystem, it will not matter what else we are doing in the rest of the system," he warned.

In his speech, Sanyal pushed for a more functional, less stratified legal profession. He urged the legal community to embrace reforms such as simplifying the legal system and ending practices that, in his view, hinder progress. "The judicial system in particular is, in my view, the single biggest hurdle to becoming Viksit Bharat and growing rapidly. The inability to enforce contracts in time or to deliver justice is now such a major constraint that I'm telling you if we do not see a major overhaul of the entire legal ecosystem, it will not matter what else we are doing in the rest of the system."