Now Reading: SC proposes daily 2-hour bench to clear 29 pending cases
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SC proposes daily 2-hour bench to clear 29 pending cases
The Supreme Court has proposed daily two-hour afternoon sittings from 2 pm to 4 pm to clear 29 pending Constitution Bench cases, while morning sessions will handle fresh and miscellaneous matters. A…
The Story in Brief
The Supreme Court has proposed daily two-hour afternoon sittings from 2 pm to 4 pm to clear 29 pending Constitution Bench cases, while morning sessions will handle fresh and miscellaneous matters. A three-judge bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant suggested this trial arrangement after noting that some long-pending references may be academic but the legal issues remain unsettled.
Separately, the same bench expressed concern over case pendency at the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC), asking the Centre to consider setting up regional and circuit benches. The court called for performance audits of state and district consumer forums, cautioning against them becoming 'rehabilitation centres' for retired judicial officers. The NCDRC chairman has been ordered to submit a status report within two weeks.
The Indian Opinion
The court’s two-hour fix sounds practical, but 29 Constitution Bench cases have lingered for years, some may be 'academic' yet unresolved. The bigger test is whether the trial schedule actually cuts backlog or just shifts the bottleneck. A number to watch: the status report on NCDRC pending cases due in two weeks will reveal if faster benches or more members are the real answer.
Sources (2): economictimes.indiatimes.com, hindustantimes.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.
