[Exclusive] Supreme Court to introduce new roster system based on domain expertise of judges from July 3

When the Supreme Court of India reopens on July 3 after the ongoing summer vacation, a new, scientifically-driven roster system based on case categories alloted at the filing stage will be introduced.

The new roster system is based on the inflow and pendency of cases, after considering the domain expertise of the apex court's judges, highly-placed sources informed Bar & Bench.

Since ordinary civil, criminal and service cases have the largest inflow and pendency, more judges have been assigned for these categories.

Further, public interest litigation (PILs) will be heard by benches led by the Chief Justice of India and the two senior-most puisne judges in most cases, to ensure disposal of old cases.

Sources explained why the system needed re-jigging, pointing to the recent spate of retirements and impending ones, which necessitated redistribution of case categories.

Pertinently, in the new regime, there will be specialised benches for direct and indirect taxation, land acquisition, compensation (including motor vehicles cases involving death or injury), arbitration, insolvency and corporate law.

Criminal cases will be handled by multiple judges on the bench, given their volume.

As per sources, the new scientific shift in roster allocation is aimed at bringing in transparency and certainty.

Along with the roster, a new process for the listing and mentioning of fresh cases before the Chief Justice of India (CJI) will be also be in operation from July 3.

All fresh miscellaneous matters that are verified by Tuesday will now automatically be listed on the coming Monday, while those verfied post Tuesday will be listed on the Friday of the next week.

Counsel seeking listing of verfied fresh matters prior to such allotted dates will now be needed to submit their mentioning proformas by 3 PM, to get their cases heard the next day.

For those seeking listing on the same day, the proformas have to be submitted by 10:30 AM to the mentioning officer along with a letter of urgency.

The CJI will then take a call on the same during lunch hours or 'as the exigency may warrant'.

For after-notice and regular hearing matters that are sought to be urgently listed, counsel have to first go before the mentioning officer with the proforma and urgency letter.

The top court's Registrar (Judicial Administration) shall the notify the lists so generated for mentioning before appropriate benches, after seeking instructions from the CJI.

No mentionings other than those in the mentioning lists uploaded a day prior shall be permitted for such matters.