New Delhi: Supreme Court Chief Justice, Surya Kant, on Thursday introduced new reforms, stating there will be no more endless hearings. The chief justice set timers for each lawyer to argue cases. The court time management will disclose timelines for oral arguments and filing of concise written submissions, aimed at efficient court management and meaningful hearings.

The reform is expected to create a structured listing, judicial efficiency and access to justice. The chief justice had said that he will not permit endless hearings in cases during a recent hearing of pleas challenging Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Bihar and other states.

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“All the Counsels will have to give in writing a commitment to meet that they’ll argue in the scheduled time-frame. This will be done so that there is an equitable and proportional allocation of court time to all cases. There are so many poor people languishing in jail, fighting for bail, and we are not getting time to hear them,” the chief justice recently said.

The circular issued by the chief justice said that senior Advocates, Arguing counsel and/or Advocate-on-record, shall submit the timelines for making oral arguments in all post-notice and regular hearing matters, at least a day prior to the commencement of the hearing of the case, adding that the same shall be submitted to the court through the online portal for submitting appearance slips already provided to the Advocate-onrecord.

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“Arguing counsel and/or Senior Advocates, through their Advocate-onrecord or Nodal Counsel/s nominated by Hon’ble Court, if any, shall file a brief Note / written submission not exceeding five pages, after serving its copy on the other side, at least three days prior to the date of hearing, in order to ensure compliance of such timelime;All counsel shall strictly adhere to the timelines fixed and conclude their oral arguments,” the circular added.