Supreme Court Issues New Roster For Allocation Of Cases From July 1

The Supreme Court issued a new roster for allocation of cases, effective July 1 when it reopens after annual summer vacation.

According to the roster uploaded on the website of the top court, public interest litigation matters will now be heard by benches headed by either Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi or Justice SA Bobde, Justice NV Ramanna, Justice Arun Mishra or Justice RF Nariman. It reverses the earlier roster that allocated all PILs to the bench headed by the Chief Justice of India or by the second seniormost judge.

The roster of hearing of the cases by Supreme Court judges was made public in February last year after the unprecedented press conference by the then seniormost judges of the top court. The judges in that press conference had raised questions on the administration of the apex court which included allocation of cases.

In the first roster uploaded against the backdrop of that controversy, the then Chief Justice Dipak Misra had allocated all PILs to the bench headed by the Chief Justice of India. A judgment of a constitution bench of the Supreme Court had ruled that the Chief Justice is the master of the roster—has the power to allocate cases to benches in the top court.

Also, most of the corporate cases, which so far were heard by Justice Rohinton Nariman’s bench, will be allocated to the bench headed by Justice Arun Mishra. Justice Mishra’s bench will now hear cases related to company law, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, Securities and Exchange Board of India, Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India and Reserve Bank of India. The matters associated with these subjects will also be allocated to the bench headed by the Chief Justice of India.

Last year, Justice Nariman’s bench heard most of the insolvency and other corporate disputes that landed in the Supreme Court. Among the important cases pending with his bench include the issue of regulation of cryptocurrencies. His bench also heard petitions on the RBI’s Feb. 12 circular, Essar Steel Ltd.’s insolvency and the dispute between Reliance Communications Ltd. and Ericsson in which he found RCom Chairman Anil Ambani guilty of contempt.

Among other changes, the matters related to election will now be allocated to the bench headed by the Chief Justice or Justice SA Bobde. Justice Abdul Nazeer and Justice MM Shantangoudar will be heading benches, as per the new judges roster.