4 SC BENCHES TO DEAL EXCLUSIVELY WITH DISTINCT BRANCHES OF LAW
A flurry of specialised benches is set to speed up the wheels of justice in the Supreme Court with the Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud announcing on Wednesday four exclusive benches to decide cases arising out of distinct branches of law. The CJI said next week onwards, the Supreme Court will have specialised benches to deal with cases pertaining to criminal appeals, land acquisition, motor accidents, and tax matters.
NEW DELHI: A flurry of specialised benches is set to speed up the wheels of justice in the Supreme Court with the Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud announcing on Wednesday four exclusive benches to decide cases arising out of distinct branches of law.
The CJI said that next week onwards, the Supreme Court will have specialised benches to deal with cases pertaining to criminal appeals, land acquisition, motor accidents, and tax matters.
“Don’t worry. We are going to have four specialised benches from next week... for criminal appeals, land acquisition matters, motor accident claims tribunal cases and on direct and indirect tax,” the CJI told a lawyer, who wanted his matter listed quickly.
While the names of other judges who will head these benches are yet to be known, justice Chandrachud said that justice Surya Kant is likely to lead the bench on land acquisition matters.
“This is a very salutary and laudable initiative by the honourable CJI. The felicitous step will go a long way in dispensation of speedier and prompt justice to the litigants as all these cases deserve
expedited hearing and disposal. The Supreme Court could also consider including service matters involving transfer and reversion, dismissal and removal, in this list,” said advocate Abhishek Gupta.
On Tuesday, justice Chandrachud mentioned the special bench to exclusively deal with tax cases as he heralded yet another reform in the top court days after taking over as the CJI. The judge, who took the helm on November 9, had a day ago told a group of lawyers who were present in his court hall to seek dates of hearing that the tax bench will sit on Wednesdays and Fridays to handle direct and indirect sales tax matters solely.
It was in 2015 that the Supreme Court, under then CJI HL Dattu, had a special tax bench, which scripted a success story by delivering around 200 judgments in tax laws in less than a year.