This Article is From Sep 21, 2017

Senior Lawyers Can No Longer Jump The Queue For Hearings In Supreme Court

Senior advocates usually dont stand in the long queues because of their seniority, jumping the queue to seek urgent hearing of their cases.

Senior Lawyers Can No Longer Jump The Queue For Hearings In Supreme Court

Chief Justice Dipak Misra said senior lawyers cannot get out-of-turn hearings any more.

New Delhi: The regular practice in the country’s top court of allowing senior advocates to seek urgent hearing of cases, jumping the queue, was brought to an abrupt end today. Chief Justice of India Justice Dipak Misra said, “Only Advocates on Record can mention cases for urgent hearing. That’s the policy from today.” 

The practice in the top court is when the Chief Justice’s court assembles, advocates stand in queue to request the Chief Justice to list urgent cases for out of turn hearing, this takes away court’s precious time.

Senior advocates usually don’t stand in the long queues because of their seniority, jumping the queue to seek urgent hearing of their cases.

For the last few days, junior advocates standing in queue haven’t been able to get their changes as senior advocates take most of the time and the Chief Justice stopped others from mentioning urgent requests.

Yesterday, advocate PV Dinesh raised this issue with the CJI in the open court accusing senior advocates of taking most of the time leaving, the juniors in the lurch.

The impact was clear today as the CJI made it clear only junior advocates will be allowed to mention cases for urgent hearing.

During the tenure of the then Chief Justice of India, Justice SH Kapadia, this out-of-turn hearing was completely abolished.

Later, Justice RM Lodha during his period as CJI stopped senior advocates seeking out-of-turn urgent hearings.
.