SC administration directs lower court judges to properly utilise court hours

The Supreme Court administration has issued a notification directing the lower court judges across the country to discharge their judicial functions for the whole working hours of court so that their office time is not misused.

The SC Registrar General Md Ali Akbar issued the notification on January 6 saying that the SC has noticed that some district judges, metropolitan session's judges, chief judicial magistrates and chief metropolitan magistrates keep themselves busy in discussing with subordinate colleagues (judges and magistrates) in their chambers.

And they become late in sitting in the courtrooms for judicial functions and besides, some judges leave the courtrooms before the end of the court time and therefore, the court's working hours are not properly utilised, the notification said.

The SC administration in the notification issued a stern directive on the judges and magistrates asking them to give up the discussions with their colleagues in the chambers and utilise the court hours accurately.

They can hold the discussions for the judicial issues after discharging judicial functions for the enter court hours accurately, the notification added.

Contacted, SC Spokesman Mohammad Saifur Rahman told The Daily Star that the working hours of the subordinate courts are from 9:30am to 4:00pm with one hour lunch and prayers break from 1pm to 2pm in five days in a week as per the Civil Rulers and Order.

The SC administration issues such notifications twice in a year to bring speed in the judiciary and disposing of cases, he added.