SC not in favour of opening separate bench outside Delhi: Government

NEW DELHI: The idea of opening a separate bench of the apex court outside Delhi has not found favour with the Supreme Court of India, the government informed Parliament on Wednesday.

In a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha, Union Minister for Law and Justice Ravi Shankar Prasad said representations were received from time to time from various quarters for establishment of Supreme Court benches in various parts of the country.

"The Law Commission, in its 229th Report, had also suggested that a Constitution Bench be set up at Delhi and four cassation benches be set up in the northern region at Delhi, the southern region at Chennai/Hyderabad, the eastern region at Kolkata and the western region at Mumbai.

"The idea of a separate Bench of Supreme Court outside Delhi has not found favour with the Supreme Court of India," he said.

The minister was asked whether the government had received any proposal from lawyers' associations to open a Supreme Court bench in Chennai for the convenience of the people of the southern states and to reduce time and money on litigation.