No priority to commercial cases, says CJI Ramana
CJI noted that the SC is already burdened with criminal appeals that should get priority since they involve personal liberty of individuals
New Delhi: The Chief Justice of India, Justice N. V. Ramana, on Monday frowned at the senior lawyers rushing to mention cases concerning commercial corporates for priority listing and hearing, noting that the top court is already burdened with criminal appeals that should get priority since they involve personal liberty of individuals.
Heading a bench also comprising Justice Surya Kant and Justice Hima Kohli, Chief Justice Ramana reacted when several senior lawyers logged in to mention cases on behalf of companies.
“We are still streamlining the system. How can all corporate people come and start mentioning pleas? There are pending criminal appeals and other cases too,” CJI Ramana told a lawyer who urged the court for an early hearing of a corporate matter.
As of September 4, 2021, a total of 69,956 cases are pending before the top court. Out of that, 51,381 are admission matters and 18,575 are regular hearing matters.
Because of the overcrowding in all benches, the top court is not able to take up pending matters. Required to be heard by the constitution bench with a strength of five or more judges, there are 446 matters pending hearing by the constitution bench. Of the 446 matters, 49 are main matters and 397 are related matters.