Parliament Question: Supreme Court's SOP

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF LAW AND JUSTICE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE RAJYA SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 15 ANSWERED ON 29/01/2026 SUPREME COURT’S SOP 15. SHRI GOLLA BABURAO: Will the Minister of Law and Justice be pleased to state: (a) whether the Supreme Court has introduced and implemented a new Standard Operating Procedure prescribing timelines for oral arguments; (b) if so, the details thereof and to what extent the above move would help in court management and quickening in disposal of cases; and (c) whether the above SOP is applicable to the Supreme Court only or to all other courts in the country? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF LAW AND JUSTICE; AND MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (SHRI ARJUN RAM MEGHWAL) (a) to (c): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House. ******STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) to (c) OF RAJYA SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 15 FOR ANSWER ON 29.01.2026 REGARDING ‘SUPREME COURT’S SOP ’ (a): Yes. The Hon’ble Supreme Court has introduced a new Standard Operating Procedure prescribing timelines for oral arguments in all post-notice and Regular Hearing matters which have been notified vide Circular F.No.29/Judl./2025 dated 29.12.2025 and is available on the website of the Hon’ble Court. Copy of the Circular is at Annexure. (b): It is anticipated that the introduction of the new SOP prescribing timelines for oral arguments in all post-notice and Regular Hearing matters will go a long way in early disposal of the cases. This will ensure equitable distribution of Court working hours to ensure speedy and proper administration of justice and will also prevent delays from excessively long arguments. Besides this, the arguing Counsel and/or Senior Advocates, through their Advocate-on-Record or Nodal Counselnominated by the Hon’ble Court, if any, are now required to file a brief Note/written submission not exceeding five pages, after serving its copy open the other side, at least three days prior to the date of hearing. These synopses will help to avoid the Counsel from repeating the points, they have already argued. In addition to this, since the timelines are fixed, the counsel will restrict their arguments before the Hon’ble Court and will present only the most crucial ones. (c): The SOP prescribing timelines for oral arguments in all post-notice and Regular matters is applicable only to Hon'ble Supreme Court. *****ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) OF RAJYA SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 15 FOR ANSWER ON 29.01.2026 REGARDING ‘SUPREME COURT’S SOP’ SUPREME COURT OF INDIA F.NO. 29/Judl./2025 Date: 29.12.2025 CIRCULAR In order to facilitate effective Court Management and equitable distribution of Court working hours and to ensure speedy and proper administration of justice, as directed by Hon’ble the Chief Justice of India and all the Hon’ble Judges, there shall be a Standard Operating Procedure for adhering to timelines for submission of oral arguments in all cases, with immediate effect: 1) Senior Advocates, Arguing counsel and /or Advocate-on-record, shall submit the timelines for making oral arguments in all post-notice and Regular Hearing matters, at least a day prior to the commencement of the hearing of the case. The same shall be submitted to the Hon’ble Court through the online portal for submitting Appearance Slips already provided to the Advocate-on-record. 2) Arguing counsel and/or Senior Advocates, through their Advocate-on-record or Nodal Counsel/s nominated by Hon’ble Court, if any, shall file a brief Note/written submission not exceeding five (5) pages, after serving its copy on the other side, at least three (3) days prior to the date of hearing, in order to ensure compliance of such timeline; and. 3) All counsel shall strictly adhere to the timelines fixed and conclude their oral arguments. sd/- sd/- sd/- sd/- (Anupam Patra) (Rajesh Sharma) (Dr. Ajit Atri) (Pavanesh D) OSD/Registrar (Tech) OSD/Registrar (JA-II) OSD/Registrar (JA-I) Registrar (JL)