NEW DELHI: Supreme Court has exercised its suo motu power a record 10 times this year taking cognisance of diverse issues, the audacious judicial order of a Calcutta high court judge being the first and the rape-murder of a doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College & Hospital being the latest. Most of them, however, have remained inconclusive.
While one needs to await the course of action of the CJI-led bench on Tuesday in the RG Kar hospital incident, a matter dealing with the remission policy of Chhattisgarh which attracted the SC’s suo motu attention six months ago, is yet to be listed.
In another instance, the SC took cognisance on its own of the Madhya Pradesh HC terminating the services of six women judicial officers. Though proceedings were initiated on December 17 last year, a bench led by Justice B V Nagarathna is yet to reach a conclusion.
Another Calcutta HC judgement passing sweeping remarks gratuitously asking adolescent girls to “control sexual urge as in the eyes of the society, she is the loser when she gives in to enjoy the sexual pleasure of hardly two minutes.” SC titled its proceedings ‘In Re: Right to privacy of adolescent’ and expunged the observations. But the judgment, reserved on May 17, is yet to be pronounced.
Between 1991-2022, it took suo motu cognisance of 50-odd cases, 10 of those, prompted by the depredations of the Covid pandemic in 2020, including taking stock of oxygen supply to Delhi and states, providing proper healthcare to patients and dignified handling of bodies in hospitals, ensuring adequate rest to doctors working tirelessly through the challenging times, keeping judiciary functional through virtual mode and asking govts to provide relief and rehabilitation to children orphaned by Covid.
This year’s first suo motu civil case was registered by the SC on January 28, when it permanently stayed Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay’s order asking SC secretary general to send him the documents that were placed before the CJI. Gangopadhyay has since resigned as a judge of Calcutta HC and got elected to Lok Sabha on BJP ticket.
Two more suo motu proceedings were initiated by the SC relating to recruitment of persons with disabilities and visually impaired in judiciary. In April, the SC had taken out proceedings against Gautam Budh Nagar District Bar Association office bearers for alleged assault on SC Bar Association members, who had appeared before the trial court despite a strike call.
In May, CJI DY Chandrachud had initiated suo motu proceedings for expediting the shifting Bombay high court to a new building. The HC, functioning since January 1879 from a four-storied stone structure resembling a castle built in gothic style and reflecting Mumbai’s multi-cultural ethos and exuberance, would move to a modern building to be constructed at a 30-acre plot in Bandra East.
The last suo motu proceedings before the CJI were provoked by the audacious order of a Punjab and Haryana HC judge, Rajbir Sehrawat, who had cast doubts on the wisdom and majesty of the highest court. The SC had expunged the judge’s unwarranted remarks with a warning.
In 2023, the SC took suo motu cognisance in three matters, one relating to management of Sariska Tiger Reserve and a temple within it attracting thousands of devotees. SC had constituted a committee to find a solution to this issue that could be a flash point between environment proection and pursuit of faith.
While one needs to await the course of action of the CJI-led bench on Tuesday in the RG Kar hospital incident, a matter dealing with the remission policy of Chhattisgarh which attracted the SC’s suo motu attention six months ago, is yet to be listed.
In another instance, the SC took cognisance on its own of the Madhya Pradesh HC terminating the services of six women judicial officers. Though proceedings were initiated on December 17 last year, a bench led by Justice B V Nagarathna is yet to reach a conclusion.
Another Calcutta HC judgement passing sweeping remarks gratuitously asking adolescent girls to “control sexual urge as in the eyes of the society, she is the loser when she gives in to enjoy the sexual pleasure of hardly two minutes.” SC titled its proceedings ‘In Re: Right to privacy of adolescent’ and expunged the observations. But the judgment, reserved on May 17, is yet to be pronounced.
Between 1991-2022, it took suo motu cognisance of 50-odd cases, 10 of those, prompted by the depredations of the Covid pandemic in 2020, including taking stock of oxygen supply to Delhi and states, providing proper healthcare to patients and dignified handling of bodies in hospitals, ensuring adequate rest to doctors working tirelessly through the challenging times, keeping judiciary functional through virtual mode and asking govts to provide relief and rehabilitation to children orphaned by Covid.
This year’s first suo motu civil case was registered by the SC on January 28, when it permanently stayed Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay’s order asking SC secretary general to send him the documents that were placed before the CJI. Gangopadhyay has since resigned as a judge of Calcutta HC and got elected to Lok Sabha on BJP ticket.
Two more suo motu proceedings were initiated by the SC relating to recruitment of persons with disabilities and visually impaired in judiciary. In April, the SC had taken out proceedings against Gautam Budh Nagar District Bar Association office bearers for alleged assault on SC Bar Association members, who had appeared before the trial court despite a strike call.
In May, CJI DY Chandrachud had initiated suo motu proceedings for expediting the shifting Bombay high court to a new building. The HC, functioning since January 1879 from a four-storied stone structure resembling a castle built in gothic style and reflecting Mumbai’s multi-cultural ethos and exuberance, would move to a modern building to be constructed at a 30-acre plot in Bandra East.
The last suo motu proceedings before the CJI were provoked by the audacious order of a Punjab and Haryana HC judge, Rajbir Sehrawat, who had cast doubts on the wisdom and majesty of the highest court. The SC had expunged the judge’s unwarranted remarks with a warning.
In 2023, the SC took suo motu cognisance in three matters, one relating to management of Sariska Tiger Reserve and a temple within it attracting thousands of devotees. SC had constituted a committee to find a solution to this issue that could be a flash point between environment proection and pursuit of faith.
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