Vellore advocates' boycott over canteen hits litigants, cases adjourned
Litigants have been left stranded as advocates in Vellore have stayed away from court proceedings at the Combined Court Complex since August 5, demanding permanent canteen facilities. Several people who arrived for hearings were unaware of the boycott and faced adjournments, causing inconvenience and financial strain.
“We travel long distances to attend court proceedings. We have skipped work many times to ensure that we are able to come to the court when the cases are listed. Such boycott affects poor litigants,” said V. Ramu, a litigant.
The court complex sees an average of over 3,000 litigants every day. It houses 15 courts handling civil and criminal cases, with around 600 advocates practicing regularly. On average, 300-400 cases are listed daily, and each court currently has 1,500-2,000 pending cases.
Court officials said the District Court had a full-fledged canteen for over two decades before it was closed by the Public Works Department (PWD), which maintains the complex, ahead of the COVID-19 pandemic. The PWD had said it planned to modernise the facility, but the old canteen has remained locked since.
As a result, advocates, court staff, and litigants must walk at least 500 metres to reach roadside eateries for food. Officials noted that longer court sessions make an on-site refreshment kiosk essential. “Going away from court premises for refreshments will delay court proceedings. In fact, cases that are listed for hearing will be adjourned to a later date due to such delays,” said a court official.
The Bar Association has submitted a petition to M. Elavarasan, Principal District Judge, Vellore, requesting steps to establish a full-fledged canteen within the premises. The demand comes amid growing concerns over the impact of the boycott on the justice delivery system and the everyday struggles of litigants.
