SC fast-forwards, to hear 25 cases, including note ban, starting next week

The hearing of these cases will start from August 29, two days after Justice UU Lalit will take over as the Chief Justice of India

The Supreme Court has picked 25 cases for hearing by a five-judge constitution bench from next week in a move that can fast forward some important cases, including challenges to demonetisation and economically weaker sections (EWS) reservation, a news report stated. 

The hearing of these cases will start from August 29, two days after Justice UU Lalit takes over as the Chief Justice of India after CJI NV Ramana steps down on Friday, August 26. 

The Supreme Court in a notification said, “Take notice that the following five judges bench matters shall be listed before the concerned courts from Monday, the 29th August, 2022 for directions including filing of common compilation, filing of short written submissions and tentative indication with regard to time taken by learned counsel. The matters shall thereafter be listed as per directions of the court.” 

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The key cases that will be taken up by the SC bench are: challenges to exercise of updating of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) for Assam; the establishment of the Central Bureau of Investigation and the case challenging the demonetisation scheme. All three cases have been pending in the apex court since 2016, according to a report by The Indian Express. 

Other cases include: the classification of Sikhs as a minority community in Punjab, pending since 2010; the challenge to the constitutional validity of religious practices of Nikah Halala and polygamy, pending since 2018; the challenge to the practice of ex-communication in the Dawoodi Bohra community, pending since 2004; the validity of a state law declaring all members of the Muslim community in Andhra Pradesh as part of Backward Classes, pending since 2006. 

There are currently 342 five-judge bench cases, 15 seven-judge bench cases, and 135 nine-judge cases pending before the apex court, the SC's official record showed.