The Supreme Court of India has issued a new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) mandating strict timelines for the submission of oral arguments in all cases. The move aims to improve court efficiency, ensure better case management, and deliver speedy justice.
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NEW DELHI: In a crucial step aimed at improving judicial efficiency and court management, the Supreme Court of India has issued a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) prescribing strict timelines for oral arguments in all cases, with immediate effect.
A circular issued on Monday, pursuant to directions of the Chief Justice of India and all Supreme Court judges, stated that the move is intended to ensure effective court management, equitable distribution of court working hours, and speedy administration of justice.
Highlights of the Supreme Court SOP on Oral Arguments
As per the newly notified SOP, the following requirements must be strictly complied with in all post-notice and regular hearing matters:
1. Submission of Oral Argument Timelines
- Senior Advocates, arguing counsel, and/or Advocate-on-Record (AoR) are required to submit proposed timelines for oral arguments at least one day before the hearing.
- These timelines must be submitted through the online portal used for filing Appearance Slips, accessible to the Advocate-on-Record.
2. Filing of Written Submissions
- Arguing counsel and/or Senior Advocates must file a brief note or written submission not exceeding five pages.
- The submission must be served on the opposite party and filed at least three days before the date of the hearing.
- Filing may be done through the Advocate-on-Record or any Nodal Counsel nominated by the Court, where applicable.
3. Mandatory Adherence to Fixed Timelines
- All counsel are required to strictly adhere to the timelines fixed by the Court and conclude their oral arguments accordingly.
- The Court emphasized that deviation from fixed schedules will not be entertained.
The SOP aligns with a recent clarification by the Chief Justice of India, who reiterated that urgent listing requests must be made only in writing through mentioning slips, and not by oral mentioning.
This clarification was issued following an urgent mention related to the demolition of a canteen, made before a bench comprising CJI Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi, and Justice A.S. Chandurkar.
The development follows a recent judgment by a bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta, where the Court emphasized that once it has indicated its inclination and requested counsel to refrain from further submissions, the same must be respected.
“Orders are passed by the Court only after due consideration. The Court is always mindful of the submissions advanced and does not dismiss matters without careful examination,”
the bench observed.
The Court further cautioned that persistent arguments after the Bench has expressed its view serve no purpose and undermine courtroom decorum.
“There needs to be a balance in the duty that an advocate has towards the client and the Court. The orderly and dignified functioning of the Court is best ensured when the Bench and the Bar move in symphony with each other,”
the judgment noted.
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Earlier in April 2025, the Supreme Court had underscored the need to impose time limits on submissions in arbitration-related cases, observing that Constitutional Courts also exercise appellate jurisdiction and must dedicate adequate time to matters affecting the common citizen.
The Court had also flagged a recurring concern that in appeals arising from Sections 34 and 37 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, senior members of the Bar often argue matters as if they were regular first appeals under Section 96 of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, contrary to the limited scope of such proceedings.