SC orders probe into 3-yr delay in listing plea against leader’s bail

In a rare move, the Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered an inquiry into its own functioning after discovering that a petition, directed to be listed in May 2022, had not been placed before any bench for over three years.

- Utkarsh Anand

A bench of justices JK Maheshwari and Vijay Bishnoi directed the Registrar (Listing) to conduct an immediate probe into the lapse and submit a report within two weeks, identifying the person responsible for the delay. “This matter was last listed on May 13, 2022, when the court directed the registry to list this matter immediately after service is complete on the respondents. The office report indicates that the respondents (the State of Tamil Nadu and M Mani-kandan) were served on May 30, 2022,” the bench noted in its order.

It added: “We direct the Registrar (Listing) to hold an inquiry and submit a report in the chamber why the matter was not listed for three years and three months despite an order of the court...”