SC mulls daily 2-hr Constitution Bench

The Supreme Court has proposed holding two-hour daily sittings after lunch to address long-standing seven-judge Constitution Bench references, reserving morning or pre-lunch court sessions for newer and miscellaneous cases. This suggestion was made by a three-member bench, led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana, who noted that there are 29 pending Constitution Bench matters.

Speaking for the Bench, CJI Kant stated that some cases may have become academic, but their legal issues could still persist. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing the bench, agreed with CJI Kant's assessment, emphasizing that settling the legal issue among the two contrary views is necessary. CJI Kant proposed that daily hearings from 2 pm to 4 pm could help resolve these long-standing cases, preventing the accumulation of fresh matters.

Another possibility suggested by CJI Kant is holding hearings across three consecutive days (Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday). A practical difficulty with this approach was mentioned, and another counsel suggested that the arrangement could maintain a balance but might extend the hearing duration. CJI Kant indicated that these solutions could be examined on a trial basis.