Why is the Calcutta HC Chief Justice's bench stopping new PIL hearings?
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Synopsis
In a surprising announcement, the Calcutta High Court's Chief Justice T.S. Sivagnanam has declared that his division bench will no longer accept new public interest litigations. This shift raises questions about the future of such cases in the court and reflects a significant change in judicial procedures.
Key Takeaways
- The Calcutta HC Chief Justice will not hear new PILs.
- Ongoing PILs will still be addressed by his bench.
- New cases will be managed by Justices Soumen Sen and Smita Das.
- This marks a significant change in the court's handling of public interest litigations.
- Justice Sivagnanam will retire in September 2023.
Kolkata, May 1 (NationPress) In a remarkable turn of events at the Calcutta High Court, Chief Justice T.S. Sivagnanam declared on Thursday that his division bench will henceforth cease to hear any new public interest litigations submitted to the court.
Nonetheless, it has been confirmed that the division bench led by the Chief Justice will persist in addressing the public interest litigations that are currently under consideration.
The newly filed public interest litigations at the Calcutta High Court will now be assigned to the division bench comprising Justice Soumen Sen and Justice Smita Das.
Legal professionals believe that it is within the Chief Justice's authority to determine which cases are assigned to which bench. However, seasoned legal experts argue that traditionally, public interest litigations have been handled by the division bench led by the Chief Justice at the Calcutta High Court.
“Typically, public interest litigations are only heard by an alternative division bench when the Chief Justice is absent. Since this is a matter of the Chief Justice's discretion, we can only respect this decision,” stated a senior advocate of the Calcutta High Court.
Additionally, it was announced on Thursday that the Chief Justice's bench will also refrain from addressing cases concerning police inaction or over-action, which will now be managed by the bench of Justice Tapabrata Chakraborty and Justice Reetobroto Kumar Mitra.
Justice Sivagnanam is set to retire this September. He joined the Bar Council of Tamil Nadu on September 10, 1986, was appointed as an additional judge of the Madras High Court on March 31, 2009, and became a permanent judge on March 29, 2011. He was transferred to the Calcutta High Court in October 2021 and assumed the role of Chief Justice in May 2023.
Point of View
It is essential to recognize the implications of this shift in the Calcutta High Court. While the Chief Justice holds the prerogative to allocate cases, this move raises concerns about accessibility to justice for the public. We must observe how this affects the legal landscape moving forward.
NationPress
17/06/2025
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the recent announcement made by the Chief Justice of Calcutta HC?
The Chief Justice, T.S. Sivagnanam, announced that his division bench will no longer hear new public interest litigations.
Which bench will handle new public interest litigations now?
New public interest litigations will now be addressed by the division bench of Justice Soumen Sen and Justice Smita Das.
Why is this decision significant?
This decision is significant as it marks a departure from tradition, where the Chief Justice's bench typically handled such cases.
What will happen to the ongoing public interest litigations?
The ongoing public interest litigations will continue to be heard by the Chief Justice's bench.
What is the retirement schedule for Justice Sivagnanam?
Justice Sivagnanam is scheduled to retire in September of this year.
