SCAORA Writes To CJI Against Listing Of Fresh Matters Which Were Neither Mentioned Nor Requested For Listing

The Supreme Court Advocates-on-Record Association (SCAORA) wrote a letter to the Chief Justice of India Dr DY Chandrachud complaining about the sudden listing of fresh miscellaneous matters which were neither mentioned nor requested for listing before the vacation benches of the Supreme Court. The SCAORA members were ensured that in case counsels do not appear, the matters listed would be adjourned after vacation. Justice PS Narasimha also ensured the members of SCAORA that he would talk to the CJI regarding not listing fresh matters in summer vacations and only listing urgent mentioned matters.

The letter was written in the context of a notice as per which it was provided that the fresh matters, in which there was no urgency, would be listed during summer vacations irrespective of subject category. As per the letter, the said direction was contrary to understanding given to members that only those matters which fell under urgent category and those which were mentioned before the Supreme Court would be listed during the summer vacation.

Through the letter, it was argued that the notice which was published at the end of the session, just before summer vacations has been a cause of serious concern for members of the bar, especially those who originally do not belong to Delhi and have already made their travel arrangements and hence would not be unavailable during the vacation period. It further states that the sudden listing of non-mentioned matter has caught members off-guard and unprepared as many of them are not even carrying their books, briefs, ropes, and laptops etc with them to the places they are travelling to and so they cannot even avail the facility of hybrid hearing. Some of the members would also be travelling to places which have no connectivity or high-speed internet, the letter states. Thus, in light of the practical difficulties being faced by members, the letter requested that only those matters maybe listed for hearing which are either mentioned or in respect of which the application is made by counsel for listing an urgent hearing.