CJI Surya Kant forms four special benches to fast-track Supreme Court's oldest cases

Chief Justice of India Surya Kant has initiated a significant reform by forming four special benches dedicated to fast-tracking the Supreme Court's oldest civil and criminal cases. This move is part of the apex court's first structured docket-management exercise in recent years, aiming to institutionalize the disposal of legacy litigation.

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The judiciary’s foremost obligation is not merely to decide cases, but to decide them within a timeframe that preserves the faith of citizens in the rule of law.

Around 800 long-pending matters have been identified for expedited resolution. The initiative is designed to ensure that these age-old cases receive consistent judicial attention, thereby restoring public confidence in the justice delivery system. "The judiciary’s foremost obligation is not merely to decide cases, but to decide them within a timeframe that preserves the faith of citizens in the rule of law," Chief Justice Kant stated.

He emphasized that the age of a case should not lead to its neglect. "Every old pending matter represents a litigant who has waited years, and sometimes decades, for closure," Kant said. By creating dedicated benches, the Supreme Court seeks to foster a culture where long-pending litigation is addressed with sustained and uninterrupted judicial focus. Each case that reaches a conclusion reinforces the credibility of the justice system and upholds the constitutional promise that justice is not defeated by the passage of time.

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Every old pending matter represents a litigant who has waited years, and sometimes decades, for closure. The age of a case cannot become the reason for its continued neglect.

Starting July 13, two division benches, led by Justices PK Mishra and SVN Bhatti, will exclusively handle the oldest civil matters on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Concurrently, two other division benches, headed by Justices Manoj Misra and Ujjal Bhuyan, will focus on the oldest criminal cases on the same days. Each of the four benches will initially concentrate on approximately 200 of the oldest cases, totaling around 800 matters for this focused judicial attention.

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By constituting dedicated benches to exclusively hear the oldest civil and criminal matters, the Supreme Court seeks to institutionalize a culture where long-pending litigation receives sustained and uninterrupted judicial attention.