NEW DELHI (Tuesday, April 7, 2026) — The Supreme Court of India has issued a significant procedural directive centralizing the process for “mentioning” exceptionally urgent matters. According to a circular issued on April 6, 2026, all cases of extreme urgency must now be brought exclusively before the Chief Justice of India (CJI) in Court No. 1, even if he is currently presiding over a Constitution Bench.
Shift in Protocol: Strengthening the Master of Roster
This new directive marks a departure from long-standing judicial traditions regarding the availability of the “Number Two” judge.
- Previous Practice: Traditionally, if the CJI was unavailable or occupied with a multi-judge Constitution Bench, lawyers could mention urgent matters for immediate listing before the senior-most associate judge (the ‘Number 2’ judge).
- New Mandate: Litigants are no longer permitted to approach any other bench for these urgent mentions. Court No. 1 now holds exclusive jurisdiction for these requests to ensure a singular, streamlined channel for high-priority reliefs.
The “November 2025” Foundation
The new directive builds upon the comprehensive reforms introduced in the Circular dated November 29, 2025, which established the current framework for automatic listing and oral mentioning.
| Category | Procedure under the New Directive |
| Listing Channel | Must follow the primary protocol established on December 1, 2025. |
| Exceptional Urgency | Permitted before Court No. 1 only, regardless of current bench proceedings. |
| Prohibited Actions | Mentioning is not permitted before any other bench or the senior-most judge in the CJI’s absence. |
[Image: The Supreme Court of India building in New Delhi]
Defining “Exceptionally Urgent Matters”
While “urgent” is a broad term, the court has previously categorized specific scenarios that qualify for this fast-track mentioning:
- Anticipatory Bail: Cases where there is an imminent threat of arrest.
- Death Penalty: Matters involving the imminent execution of a sentence.
- Habeas Corpus: Petitions regarding illegal detention.
- Demolition/Eviction: Situations where property or residence is under immediate threat of destruction.
Administrative Impact
By mandating that these matters go through Court No. 1, the Supreme Court administration appears to be reinforcing the CJI’s role as the “Master of the Roster.” This move is intended to prevent “forum shopping” and ensure that the prioritization of cases remains under a unified leadership, even during complex constitutional hearings that often run for the entire duration of a court day.
Sources
- The Economic Times: “Urgent cases to be mentioned only before CJI-led bench: SC” (April 7, 2026).
- Law Trend: “Only CJI to Hear ‘Exceptionally Urgent’ Mentions, Even During Constitution Bench Hearings” (April 7, 2026).
- The Hindu: “Urgent cases to be mentioned only before CJI-led Bench: Supreme Court” (April 7, 2026).
- Supreme Court Circular: F. No. 21/Judl./2025 & April 6, 2026 directive.
Leave a Reply