Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on Monday informed the Supreme Court that the Full Court has constituted a committee to examine concerns raised by advocates over the frequent changes in the sequencing of cases listed for hearing.
The issue was raised by Senior Advocate Gaurav Bhatia, who pointed out the difficulties faced by lawyers due to last-minute alterations in the daily cause list, affecting their preparation and court appearances.
Bhatia submitted that while the Bar has always accepted decisions taken in the interest of the institution with humility, the Court should also extend support to advocates when the unpredictable listing process impacts their ability to effectively represent clients.
Responding to the submissions, the Chief Justice said the issue had already been taken up by the Full Court and that an appropriate committee has been constituted to examine it.
The concern stems from the practice of different Supreme Court Benches hearing cases in a sequence different from the numerical order indicated in the cause list. For instance, Benches often choose to first hear fresh admission matters, which are typically placed towards the end of the supplementary cause list, with the revised sequence being announced only on the morning of the hearing. Advocates have argued that such last-minute changes make it difficult to plan appearances and prepare effectively.
The issue had also been highlighted earlier by office-bearers of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) during a public function attended by the Chief Justice. The SCBA urged the Court either to discontinue the sequencing system altogether or, alternatively, to specify the proposed sequence of hearing in the supplementary cause list itself at the time of its publication, so that lawyers can better organise their schedules.
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