NEW DELHI: With an aim to reduce pendency, the Supreme Court, for the first time since it was set up, will have single judge benches sitting regularly to decide cases of bail and transfer.
At present, there used to be only two-division benches having two judges in the SC to decide all category of cases.
The notification issued from the Ministry of Law and Justice on Friday came after CJI Ranjan Gogoi asked the Centre to add the provision in the SC rules, so that pendency could be brought down, which currently stands at 60,000 cases.
According to the notified new rules, judges sitting singly will decide cases of bail and anticipatory bail where the punishment of the offences is up to seven years.
This category of offences can range from criminal charges to charges under the Prevention of Corruption Act. Now, the CJI shall nominate the single judge for deciding cases.
The fresh provisions add that petitions to transfer criminal cases from one court to another, under Section 406 of the CrPC, shall also be decided by the single judge benches.
The Supreme Court Bar Association, however, has opposed the move.