Oral mention banned for urgent hearing in the supreme court, CJI Khanna directs to send email or written letter

Justice Sanjeev Khanna, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, has now banned oral mentions for cases that require an urgent listing and hearing. The lawyers will now need to issue a written letter or email in response to the CJI's decision. Oral submissions would no longer be accepted in urgent proceedings, Chief Justice Justice Khanna said on Tuesday. Only written slips or emails may be used for this.

After this direction by the CJI, the advocates would communicate the demands by email or written application. In which they would state the reasons for hearing their case urgently. This change is a part of the system initiated by former Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, wherein he used to hear oral mentions.

Though this was a very time-consuming practice and often half an hour of judicial time was consumed, big accused and senior advocates benefited from it because they could ensure the hearing of cases before their turn.

Mixed reactions from lawyers on this matter after this decision of the CJI have started to come to the fore. Be it considered as a saving of judicial time by some quarters or not, and in fact positive step, many consider that the practice of oral mention in extremely urgent cases should continue.

Justice Khanna has prepared a citizen-centric agenda for judicial reforms. About this, he said, "It is the constitutional duty of the judiciary to ensure that citizens have easy access to justice and are treated as equals, irrespective of status". Referring to the usual practice of lawyers mentioning their cases before the Bench headed by the CJI at the beginning of the day's proceedings, so that those cases get listed and heard out of turn, he said.