No rift between Supreme Court judges over new listing system: CJI UU Lalit

Chief Justice of India (CJI) UU Lalit on Thursday refuted reports suggesting a rift between judges of the Supreme Court over the new mechanism of listing cases. It was a Supreme Court Bench of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and AS Oka that had criticised the new system of listing of cases on non-miscellaneous days, in its order dated September 13..CJI Lalit was speaking at a feliciation function in his honour organised by the Supreme Court Bar Association. He said all the top court's judges were on the same page about the listing sytem introduced by him."Lot of things have been said, it is true that with new listing system there were teething issues at the start. What was reported is not correct, all judges are on the same page," he said..The Chief Justice also gave credit to his fellow judges for the speedy disposal of 5000 odd cases over the last two weeks."The disposal of cases in the last few days has been due to the efforts of my fellow judges. Yes, last minute listing of judges created enormous workload, so I am indebted to my brother and sister judges for discharging their duties with smiles. Lot of the matters were pending, that is why we had to list them.".[Exclusive] Supreme Court disposes of over 5,000 cases in 13 days under CJI UU Lalit .One of the first changes introduced by the CJI Lalit after he took over the office was regarding the hearing of cases on non-miscellaneous days.On non-miscellaneous days, the Supreme Court currently hears regular matters in the morning session (10.30 am to 1 pm) and miscellaneous and after notice matters in the afternoon session (2 pm to 4 pm).The norm earlier was to take up miscellaneous matters first and then proceed to the regular-hearing.CJI Lalit in one of the public events had stated that in his 74-day long tenure, his main focus would be on listing of cases, mentioning of urgent matters, Constitution benches..In his address today, the Chief Justice of India recalled with nostalgia his days at the top court as a practicing lawyer. He said he had gone through every career phase a Supreme Court advocate does. " ... As a student, a junior counsel , working in an advocoate-on-record's (AoR) office, joining a senior's office, becoming an AoR, then suspending my AoR practice till my senior designation. So been through everything except one - I was never a law officer."CJI Lalit attributed his arguing skills and calm demeanor in Court to current Attorney General, KK Venugopal. "The way he argues and places a matter and its facts, so calmly putting even the court in comfort," the CJI said of the AG. .On the demands of the president of the Supreme Court Bar Association, Senior Advocate Vikas Singh, with regard to needing a larger library space, a ladies Bar room and to do away with chambers just for the Bar Council for India at the top court's premises, the CJI smiled and said, "It is true that the library built before will not suffice for today. All I can promise is I will appoint committees to take decisions in this regard."The Chief Justice of India ended his address by stating that he owes everything in his life to the legal profession. .AG Venugopal speaking before the CJI said that is was a happy occassion for the Bar to have a fellow member holding the highest judicial office in the country. "Only a few of us have had the privilege of being directly elevated. Additionally happy to have a CJI of unquestionable integrity and [one who is] calm. He doesn't raise his voice whatever may be the provocation. His tenure so far has shown us that he is committed to plant a seed of lasting change and this augurs well for the Court in the future."The AG pointed out that laywers were pleased to have their cases listed after ages, and spoke of the CJI's significant orders towards devising and evaluating the mitigating circumstances for death penalty sentences. "One always leaves his Court with the satisfaction of being heard fairly," the AG concluded..[Follow our live coverage of the SCBA event]