CJI slams top court's registry, vows ‘deeper reform’

The Supreme Court's administrative machinery came under the scrutiny on Thursday as Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant declared that he would launch a “deeper probe” into the registry for allowing similar petitions to travel to different benches despite past dismissals.

- Utkarsh Anand

“If I don't bring reform here before I demit office, I will fail in my duty,” said the CJI, in one of his strongest public rebukes of the registry yet, while signalling an administrative churn ahead. Justice Kant is due to retire in February 2027.

‘The remarks came after Additional Solicitor General KM Nataraj, representing the Uttar Pradesh government in the matter, placed before the court an order showing that a similar challenge had earlier been dismissed by a three-judge bench. Visibly disturbed, the CJI said he would initiate a “deeper probe” into how the matter came to be listed again.