For the first time in the Supreme Court’s history, 25 judges including Chief Justice of India, Sanjiv Khanna, will meet in Visakhapatnam, along with their families and also discuss issues related to the top court and hold a ‘full court’ meeting.
The initiative has been started by Chief Justice Khanna and the 24 judges and their family members will travel at their own expense, availing the Leave Travel Concession (LTC), which all Supreme Court employees, including judges, can avail.
The meeting of judges will take place on January 11 and 12 and some Supreme Court judges will stay in Visakhapatnam while others will leave. Sources told The Hindkesharithat the Chief Justice wanted a meeting outside Delhi so that judges could have a stress-free environment.
The Chief Justice discussed this with his colleagues, Justices BR Govai and Surya Kant, both senior judges in the Supreme Court. Both judges agreed with Chief Justice Khanna’s idea that instead of spending court money, judges should avail LTC. It is a family vacation with official work, sources added.
Chief Justice Khanna spoke to all the judges but 24 judges agreed. Others expressed their inability, citing fixed personal engagements.
As per the LTC scheme, employees can avail of once in two years, hometown LTC and an all-India LTC once every four years.