SC clears 6,844 cases since DY Chandrachud assumed as CJI

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has disposed of 6,844 cases since the 50th Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud took over on November 9. A total of 6,844 cases were wrapped up by the Supreme Court in from November 9 to December 16 against the 5,898 new cases filed.

As per data released by the Supreme Court administration 5,898 cases were filed from November 9 till December 16. A total of 2,511 transfer and bail petitions were disposed of.

CJI Chandrachud in November had emphasized on quick disposal of bail and transfer petitions and announced that cases involving personal liberty shall be prioritized. Bail matters needed to be given primacy as they pertained to personal liberty, he had said.

He had said every bench in the apex court will hear 10 bail matters and 10 transfer petitions on each day of the week. Transfer petition cases involve marital disputes where one of the parties seeks to shift of the case to another place. Only the Supreme Court has the power to transfer cases from one court to another, in the same state or other state.

The data of high rate of disposal at the apex court came when the Minister of Law and Justice Kiren Rijiju had said in the Rajya Sabha that the Supreme Court should not be hearing bail applications and frivolous PILs at a time when the pendency of cases is so high.

On Friday, the CJI remarked, "If the Supreme Court were not to interfere in the matters of personal liberty, what are we here for? We are here to answer the call of conscience and the cry for liberty of the citizens."