‘CJI fast-tracked Pinarayi’s plea’

The RTI response,dated February 20,2010,by Supreme Court Public Information Officer (PIO) Raj Pal Arora is on an application by Delhi-based advocate Zulfiker Ali. Arora is silent on whether Vijayan had even applied to the Supreme Court for an early hearing.

Though the Supreme Court had only admitted Vijayan’s petition on August 31,2009 and issued show cause (rule nisi) notice,the case was included in the list of cases scheduled for final hearing,starting from January 19,2010. Corruption cases are placed fourth in the list of regular cases accorded priority.

The advocate asked “whether there is any order or direction (judicial/administrative) from the court to list this matter for hearing on urgent basis. Whether any application for early hearing was filed in this matter? If not,on what basis this particular matter is listed for hearing within this short period?”

In his reply,PIO Arora says: “As per amendments introduced to Order VI of the Supreme Court Rules,1966,the Court of Registrar is conferred with the power of the court in so far as matters mentioned under Order VI Rule (1). The said matter was added in the weekly list for the week commencing from 19.1.2010 on the basis of order dated 25.11.2009 of the Registrar Court and after obtaining orders/directions from Honourable Chief Justice of India”.

Ali wanted the information officer to disclose the criteria being followed in the Supreme Court in taking up admitted matters; whether there is any fixed procedure in this regard; criminal and civil cases admitted in which year are presently listed for final hearing and whether a pending matter could be taken up for consideration out of turn,even without an order for early hearing from the Court on an application by the parties in this regard.

To this,Arora replies that “unless otherwise directed by the Honourable Court or by the Honourable Chief Justice of India,the regular hearing matters are being listed as per approved guidelines”.