New CJI Surya Kant disallows oral mentions, takes up 17 cases on day one
On the first day as the CJI, Justice Surya Kant on Monday set a new procedural norm that mentioning cases for urgent listing must be made in writing, and oral requests will be entertained under “extraordinary circumstances” like in cases of death penalty and personal liberty. A bench led by Justice Kant heard 17 cases in proceedings spanning around two hours on his first day as the Chief Justice of India (CJI). Justice Kant formally assumed charge as the 53rd CJI shortly after taking oath in Hindi in the name of God at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. Arriving at the Supreme Court for the first time as CJI in the forenoon, he paid floral tributes at the statues of Mahatma Gandhi and Dr B R Ambedkar on the court premises. He then presided over a three-judge bench, also comprising Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Atul S Chandurkar, in the heritage courtroom number one. As proceedings commenced around noon, the CJI pronounced a judgement on a plea filed by Himachal Pradesh against a private firm. Just after the …