SUPREME COURT BENCHES OUTSIDE THE
NATIONAL CAPITAL
According to article
130 of the Constitution, the Supreme Court shall sit in Delhi
or in such other place or places as the Chief Justice of India
may, with the approval of the President, from time to time, appoint.
Representations/suggestions
have, however, been received from time to time from certain State
Governments, including the Government of West Bengal, Bar Associations
etc. for establishing Benches of Supreme court in various parts
of the country, including Kolkata.
The recommendation
of the Department Parliamentary Standing Committee contained in
its 61st report for setting up of Benches of the Supreme
Court in Southern, western and North-Eastern parts of the country
was referred to the Chief Justice of India on June 29, 2000. The
Chief Justice of India vide his letter of May 2, 2001 conveyed
that the issue relating to setting up of Benches of the Supreme
Court in Southern, Western and North-Eastern parts of the country,
as recommended by the Committee was considered in a Full Court
on April 30, 2001 and after thorough reconsideration of the issue,
the Full Court has unanimously found no justification in deviating
from their earlier Resolution on the subject.
This was stated
by the Minister of Law & Justice and Commerce and Industry,
Shri Arun Jaitley, in a reply to a question by Shri Lakshman Seth
in the Lok Sabha today.
