NEW DELHI, Nov 19: In a significant development, Supreme Court benches will now have the option of taking up part-heard regular and urgent matters on non-miscellaneous days, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, an apex court source said on Tuesday.
According to the practice which was in place till recently, the apex court benches used to hear regular cases, including part-heard regular matters on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, also termed as non-miscellaneous days.
On Mondays and Fridays, also called miscellaneous days, the benches hear fresh cases and those which come up after the issuance of notices.
In a bid to bring down the pendency of “after notice matters”, Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna, after assuming charges, recently brought changes in the nature of cases which will be taken up for hearing on non-miscellaneous days.
“Henceforth, on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays after notice miscellaneous matters, including Transfer Petitions and Bail Matters shall be listed and no regular hearing matter shall be listed on Wednesday and Thursday till further orders.
“Special Bench or Part-Heard matter, whether miscellaneous or regular hearing which are directed to be listed on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays shall be listed in the post-lunch session or as per directions of the Competent Authority,” the apex court circular had said.
The apex court source told PTI that the judges have the option to take up “part-heard regular or urgent regular matters in the post-lunch session as per the court’s convenience on every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday”.
The source said the earlier decision was undertaken by the CJI to bring down the pendency of “after notice matters” and the situation will be reviewed in the middle of December 2024 or earlier, if required.
The total number of after notice miscellaneous matters, including connected matters, is more than 37,317 (20,930 main and 16,387 connected matters), the source said.
The total number of regular matters, including connected matters, is about 21,639 (10,988 main and 10,651 connected matters), the source added. (PTI)
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