Supreme Court to resume proceedings on January 4

The Supreme Court would open on January 4 and proceedings of petitions on farm bills, anti-conversion law, permanent commission of women officers in the Army would be resumed. The Chief Justice of India, S A Bobde, would hear cases on tax, letter petitions, Public Interest Litigations, social justice matters, criminal cases, the appointment to constitutional functionaries, admission in colleges, leases and government contracts as per the new roster.

New Delhi: After Christmas and New Year holidays, the Supreme Court is all set to open on January 4 and would hear major cases including petitions which were not disposed of this year. Earlier, this week the Court notified a new roster allocating cases to different benches.

One of the most awaited matter is the farmers' protest against the farm laws enacted by the Parliament. The nation has been witnessing prolonged protest by farmers at Delhi border since November end. Some pleas challenged the laws itself and some demanded directions to remove the farmers from the border stating it to be obstructing movement.

In the last hearing, the bench led by the Chief Justice of India, S A Bobde had asked to implead farmers union in the matter and constitute a committee for mediation. The Court had given liberty to the petitioners to approach the vacation bench in case they want an early hearing but the matter did not come up in vacation. It would be heard by the CJI led bench again in January.

On December 30, the Court had adjourned a case pertaining to the permanent commission of women officers in the Army to January 4 and had stayed the December 18 order wherein they had to be released from the services on December 31. The matter would now be taken up on January 19 by Justice D Y Chandrachud led bench who has been hearing this case since last year and had ordered the government to grant permanent commission to women officers.

Recently, anti-conversion laws were passed by the Uttar Pradesh and Uttrakhand governments which were challenged in the top court contending that they violate the fundamental rights of the citizens and would be misused to target innocent citizens. The case is likely to come up on January 6 before the CJI led bench.

As per the new roster, the CJI would be hearing matters pertaining to tax, letter petitions, Public Interest Litigation, social justice matters, criminal cases, the appointment to constitutional functionaries, admission in colleges, leases and government contracts. Along with the CJI, Justice DY Chandrachud, Justice NV Ramana, Justice L Nageswara Rao, Justice U U Lalit, Justice Ashok Bhushan, Justice R F Nariman and Justice A M Khanwilkar would be hearing the PILs and social justice matters where the governments are a party.

Since March, the Court has been hearing cases virtually due to the Covid 19 pandemic and in the near future also it is likely to be continued considering the surge in cases.