CJI KHANNA FIRM ON ADMINISTRATIVE LISTING DECISIONS

NEW DELHI: Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna on Thursday firmly discouraged oral mentions for case listings in the Supreme Court, urging lawyers to respect decisions made by him in his administrative capacity as the "master of the roster".

- Utkarsh Anand

highlighting the oppressive nature of the stipulation. The court further remarked that enforcing such a clause in perpetuity would violate the fundamental rights to equality (Article 14) and dignity (Article 21).

The judgment also threw light on the socio-political realities of the time. In the early 1950s, India was witnessing sweeping land reforms aimed at redistributing wealth and dismantling the zamindari system.

Landowners, anticipating legislation like the Punjab Security and Land Tenures Act of 1953, sought ways to retain control over their holdings. One common method was gifting land to workers or aides, often with informal strings attached, the bench noted.