The Supreme Court Fast -track will lead to important cases (noted NRC among others), they will include 25 five-judge Constitution Bench matters from August 29, Chief Justice U U Lalit has assumed charge as the designated judge.
Chief Justice NV Ramana will retire on August 26 and Justice Lalit will take over from August 27. Justice Lalit’s first day of work as CJI in the Supreme Court on August 29.
These 25 cases include challenges to demonetisation (pending since 2016) and reservation of economically weaker sections (pending since 2020).
The list also includes cases challenging the all-important National Register of Citizens (NRC) exercise in Assam (pending since 2016); Challenges to the establishment of the Central Bureau of Investigation (pending since 2016); and cases challenging the demonetisation scheme (pending since 2016).
Other areas include:
- Is the Supreme Court of India taking this decision keeping in mind the increasing pendency of Article 32 petitions and the exclusive jurisdiction of the Appellate Court to decide a large number of routine cases?
- Challenge to the constitutionality of the Constitution
- (One Hundred and Third Amendment) Act, 2019 which provided reservation for Economically Weaker Nations
- WhatsApp’s privacy policy and its users’ rights and privacy under Section 21
- Power of Supreme Court under Article 142 to grant divorce between consenting parties
- Constitutional recognition of a state law declaring all members of the Muslim community in Andhra Pradesh as part of the “backward classes”.
- Granting minority status to Sikhs in Punjab state
- Petitions regarding internet security laws and protecting personal information and seeking guidance from the government
- Challenges to traditional practices of polygamy including Nikah Halala, Nikah Mutah and Nikah Misyar
– - Can the Executive use Article 161 of the Constitution to make a policy to grant waivers without placing a record before the Governor?
– - Does a MLA enjoy immunity from prosecution under Article 194(2) of the Constitution for taking bribe to vote in Parliament or Assembly?
- Petition challenging Section 6A(1) of the DPSE Act which provides immunity for officers at the level of Joint Secretary and above
- Appeal to the current system for appointment of Election Commission of India (ECI) members.
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A total of 492 cases were pending before the Constitution Bench (bench of five or more judges) of the Supreme Court and the bench said. Out of these, 41 main issues and 301 connected issues are pending before the 5-judge bench of the Supreme Court.