Chief Justice of India (CJI)-designate Sarosh Homi Kapadia will work during the Supreme Court’s two-month summer vacation to streamline the court’s functioning and deal with staff and court problems.

Kapadia told the court’s “cheering” staff members, according to DNA: “I assure you I understand your problems. I also worked as a class III employee in a small office in Mumbai before joining the legal profession. I will not go on a summer vacation this year and will visit your offices to know firsthand the problems you are facing.”

Kapadia takes over from outgoing CJI K G Balakrishnan tomorrow.

The DNA further wrote that reformist expectations from Kapadia were high.

Kapadia, who joined the Bombay bar at the age of 27 in 1974, told the staff to submit a ‘wish list’ prioritising their requirements so that he could try to fulfil their needs.

While Balakrishnan had scrapped all pending departmental inquiries against the employees three years ago, little has been done to lessen the burden of employees from carrying huge, bulky files daily from one court to another. Nor are dependents of employees who died in office given jobs on compassionate grounds, as is done in most government offices.

An SC Employees’ Welfare Association official said departmental bosses treated them badly. “We have been exploited and denied fair treatment by our departmental chiefs,” he said.