Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud has expressed surprise over certain lawyers wanting their cases to be listed before specific judges, noting all judges were equal before the judiciary.
Responding to certain letters written by some lawyers alleging that the matters initially assigned to a particular Bench were allegedly being pulled out by the Registry, the CJI said it was very easy to fling allegations and extremely surprising for the members of the bar to say that they want judge A to hear their matter and not judge B to hear it.
The CJI made the observations on Thursday, while refusing to interfere with the listing of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Satyendar Jain’s bail petition before the Bench headed of Justice Bela M Trivedi.
The Bench headed by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud further refused to defer the case, as requested by Senior Advocate Dr. Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for Jain.
On December 4, the Supreme Court on Monday adjourned hearing on the bail petition of former Delhi Cabinet Minister Satyendar Jain, who was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate for his alleged involvement in a money laundering case.
The Bench of Justice Bela M Trivedi and Justice Satish Chandra Sharma further extended the interim bail granted to Jain on medical grounds till the next date of hearing.
Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for Jain, appealed to the Court for adjournment on the grounds that presiding judge in the matter, Justice AS Bopanna, was not present today owing to illness.
Singhvi appealed to the Apex Court to adjourn the matter till January, saying that the matter has been heard in part at length by the Bench constituted by the Chief Justice of India.
The Apex Court said that an interim order could not continue for that long, adding that it would have to look into the matter.
Singhvi argued that if the Bench hearing the matter was not sitting, the interim order could not be touched.
However, the Bench said it would have to
check whether the case has to be heard by the same court or not.
The Supreme Court suggested to list the matter tomorrow.
However, Singhvi sought adjournment till next week.
He reiterated that the Bench directed by the CJI had heard the case for two and a half hours, and the same was marked by the Court’s judicial order, which said ‘heard in part’.
The Senior Advocate again pressed for listing the matter on January 11 or any date in that month.
Earlier on November 24, the Apex Court on had adjourned till December 4, hearing on the bail application of Aam Aadmi Party the (AAP) leader.
The Bench of Justice A.S. Bopanna and Justice Bela M. Trivedi had further extended the interim bail granted to co-accused in the case, Ankush and Vaibhav Jain, till December 4.