Madras HC judge formulates SOP for faster disposal of cases

Chennai (The Uttam Hindu): To expedite the disposal of pending cases, Justice D. Bharatha Chakravarthy of the Madras High Court has introduced a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) aimed at streamlining court operations. The SOP is designed to minimise the wastage of court time by avoiding unnecessary mentions and adjournments.

Justice Chakravarthy stated that there is no need to mention early listing of fresh cases. He also informed lawyers that they could directly obtain motion slips from his Court Officer and present them to the registry for moving lunch motions or listing fresh cases for the next day. “The court trusts Bar members to apply their minds objectively and use the slips only in appropriate cases,” the judge emphasised.

For the early listing of pending cases, a register has been placed in his court hall where lawyers can note down the case numbers they want to be prioritized for hearing. Justice Chakravarthy assured that these matters would be listed promptly, preferably on Thursdays and Fridays.

The judge further clarified that early morning mentions for adjournments would no longer be allowed. Instead, adjournment requests may only be made when the case reaches the bench. If counsel is unable to be present, the matter will be passed over and taken up after the lunch recess at 2:15 p.m. Justice Chakravarthy also encouraged lawyers to address the court respectfully, without the need for honorifics such as “My Lord” or “Your Lordship.”

The SOP highlights the importance of communication between lawyers. It states that adjournments cannot be granted because case papers have not been served on the respondent’s counsel. Petitioners’ counsels are expected to provide hard copies from the case bundle or soft copies if needed. The judge made it clear that such matters should not be brought before the court, and no adjournments will be granted on these grounds.

Additionally, lawyers are encouraged to submit legal citations to the Court Officer or Law Clerk in advance. The court will access the referenced judgments digitally before the commencement of hearings. This initiative is part of Justice Chakravarthy’s efforts to ensure efficient case management and promote faster justice delivery.