India's Chief Justice Surya Kant creates four special Supreme Court benches

Chief Justice of India Surya Kant announced the creation of four special benches at the Supreme Court—two for civil cases and two for criminal cases—to prioritize the disposal of old matters. The new roster will hear roughly 800 criminal cases that have been pending for ten years or more and aims to reduce the court’s backlog of more than 95,000 cases (around 74,000 civil and the remainder criminal). In the same address he responded to a recent courtroom incident, emphasizing the collective duty to uphold the dignity of constitutional institutions.

The initiative is presented as a step toward faster justice and a more efficient administration of the law, addressing longstanding criticism over prolonged pendency in both civil and criminal appeals.