Supreme Court’s Immediate Hiring SOP: E-mail Submissions Allowed, CJI to Oversee: PM Modi Raises Nighttime Query

Chief Justice Divan ChandraChud Sets New SOP for Urgent Hearings in Supreme Court: Latest Example from Gujarat’s 28-week Pregnant Rape Victim’s Abortion Consent Case. According to SC sources, the immediate hearing of the Tis Hazari and Nuh violence cases was also guided by the new SOP. On the night of July 1, Tis Hazari was granted bail in exchange for Supreme Court’s jab. This is said to have benefited Tis Hazari’s reputation. On the other hand, in the Nuh violence case in Haryana, CJI ChandraChud temporarily blocked the submissions of petitions that challenged Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir.

In cases of urgent hiring, the arrangement to email has been introduced. According to Supreme Court sources, under the new SOP, urgent matters can now be submitted to the Court Officer by 10:30 AM. As per the rules, officers will have lunch breaks during which, if necessary, they will present before the Chief Justice. In cases of immediate hearings, email submissions are also permissible. Chief Justice ChandraChud currently oversees matters through email with caution.

On the day of the vacation, August 21, the Supreme Court granted permission for the abortion of a 28-week pregnant rape victim from Gujarat. The woman had previously contacted the High Court. The Court had dismissed her petition on August 17 without giving any reasons.

Subsequently, on August 19, the victim approached the Supreme Court. The hearing for this case took place on Saturday, August 19. Justice Nagarathna had even slapped a stay on the Gujarat High Court to delay proceedings.

Nagarathna remarked, ‘While every day matters in such cases, then why postpone the hearing date? In reality, on August 11, the High Court had refrained from conducting an urgent hearing on the case, giving the next date after 12 days.

The Supreme Court granted permission for the abortion of a 28-week pregnant rape victim from Gujarat on Monday. The woman had previously contacted the High Court. The Court had dismissed her petition on August 17 without giving any reasons. Subsequently, on August 19, the victim approached the Supreme Court. On the same day, the Gujarat High Court had issued an order on its own after taking cognizance, in which it asked the victim whether she is demanding to give birth to the child and hand it over to the state.

Justice Nagarathna of the Supreme Court expressed strong dissatisfaction upon seeing the High Court’s order. She stated, ‘In response to any order from the Supreme Court, a counter-order comes from the High Court, we don’t consider it appropriate. What is happening in the Gujarat High Court?’

The situation in the Gujarat High Court is being closely observed in light of Justice Nagarathna’s concerns.