Supreme Court can’t become a ‘tareek pe tareek’ court: CJI

There were 2,361 cases mentioned by lawyers for assignment of early hearing dates but most were requested to be deferred when they came up before concerned benches, CJI said

The Supreme Court must not become a “tareek pe tareek” (a date after date) court, Chief Justice of India Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud emphasised on Friday, disclosing that the lawyers asked for adjournments in 3,688 cases in the last two months while most of these cases were mentioned for urgent hearings.

The Supreme Court of India. (ANI)

“We don’t want it to become a ‘tareek pe tareek’ court. This defeats the trust of citizens in this court. With so many cases being asked to be adjourned, it does not send a good image of this court,” the CJI addressed the lawyers present in the court.

Justice Chandrachud highlighted that the time lag in the Supreme Court between the filing of a case and its listing before a bench has been curtailed majorly with all fresh cases getting listed within a week they are filed.

“I have been monitoring filing to first hearing of matters to ensure that period is reduced to minimum. At the same time, let us compare this with the data I have. There are 178 adjournment slips filed today. On an average, per miscellaneous day, 154 adjournments are circulated. There was a total of 3,688 adjournments in the last two months. This defeats the purpose of filing and listing,” the CJI rued.

“The number of matters adjourned are almost three times the number of matters listed in this period. Matters are mentioned for being expedited but then adjournments are sought in the same matters,” the CJI further observed.

“I request the members of the bar not to seek adjournments unless they are really, really necessary. This cannot become a ‘tareek pe tareek’ court,” the judge stressed.