Supreme Court Issues Guidelines For Filing Written Submissions Before Constitution Benches & Important Final Hearing Cases

The Supreme Court registry today(Aug 22) issued a circular detailing comprehensive guidelines to streamline the process of filing written submissions and compilations before constitution benches and important final hearing cases.

The guidelines, laid out in a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), are set to provide a structured framework for filing soft copies of written submissions and creating common compilations of essential documents, rules, precedents, and timelines for oral arguments.

There will be a nomination of a nodal counsel, comprising an advocate-on-record (AOR) representing each side. This designated counsel will take on the responsibility of coordinating with all lawyers involved in the case. The circular mandates the filing of electronic versions of five volumes, each fulfilling a specific purpose:

Volume 1: Written submission of the petitioner.

Volume 2: Written submission of the respondent.

Volume 3: Compilation of relevant documents, including pleadings, affidavits, and orders that constitute the case's record.

Volume 4: Statutory enactments and research materials that support arguments.

Volume 5: Precedents and judgments, arranged by topic or chronologically, along with neutral citations. Additionally, PDF copies of foreign cases are required to be included.

The guidelines also highlight that any additional materials must be filed only with the court's permission.

Moreover, the practice directions outline precise formatting requirements:

• Format: PDF.
• Font: Times New Roman, size 12.5.
• Margin: 2.54 cm on all sides.
• Line Spacing: Double (line spacing of 2).
• Pagination: The number of running pages and PDF pages must match.
• PDF Bookmarking: Submissions must be bookmarked.
• Hyperlinked Index: The index must include hyperlinks.
• Highlighting Counsel's Name: The names of counsel and senior advocates must be highlighted.
• Party Name: The name of the party must be reflected accurately.

The circular also addresses the timeline for oral arguments:

• The nodal counsel must be informed about the tentative timelines for their oral arguments at least five days prior to the hearing.
• He will compile these timelines into a proposed statement and present it to the court.
• The court will finalize and prescribe the timelines for oral arguments.

Click here to read the guidelines