Supreme Court to set up special benches for criminal appeals, tax, land acquisition cases

New Delhi: Next week onwards, the Supreme Court will constitute specialised benches to take up criminal appeals, tax, land acquisition, and motor accident claim tribunal cases.

During mentioning of cases, Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud made an announcement in this regard. He also indicated that the Justice Surya Kant-led bench would hear cases related to land acquisitions.

"From next week, there would be special benches for criminal appeals, direct and indirect tax matters, land acquisition matters, and motor accidents claims tribunal matters," he said.

The Chief Justice on Tuesday said from next week, the top court will have a special bench to exclusively deal with tax cases. He told a group of lawyers that on Wednesday and Friday there will be a special bench to take up direct and indirect sales tax matters solely.

On November 18, the Chief Justice said the Supreme Court, in its full court meeting - in a bidSupreme Court to set up special benches for criminal appeals, tax, land acquisition cases to reduce pendency -- has decided that all the 13 benches will hear 10 transfer petitions related to matrimonial disputes and an equal number of bail petitions daily.

He said that it was decided that each bench will take up 10 transfer petitions, family matters, followed by 10 bail matters every day to dispose of all such matters before the beginning of the winter vacation.

He emphasised that bail matters needed to be given primacy as they pertained to personal liberty.

The Chief Justice said that if every bench takes up 10 transfer cases everyday, then 13 benches will be able to decide 130 cases per day and 650 per week, and the benches will take up regular cases after dealing with these 20 bail and transfer petitions everyday.