SUPREME COURT OF INDIA NEWS:
In an unprecedented situation in the Supreme Court on Monday, a single-judge court of Justice Deepak Gupta heard and disposed 33 cases, which was meant a two-judge bench comprising of J. Deepak Gupta and senior colleague, J. M Shantanagoudar. This was much surprising to the advocates and litigants of the Court.
Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi, present in the court in relation to Telanagana land acquisition matter could not resist from drawing the court’s attention to this situation.
Rohatgi said  that it is for the first time during the last 25 years he was seeing single judge sitting and dealing with the cases in Supreme Court, but J. Gupta did not made any comment.
Shantanagoudar apparently reported unwell following which JS Khehar, the Chief Justice of India convinced J. Gupta to hear the 33 cases. Although, as per the rules of the apex court a minimum quorum of two judges is required to hear cases which is not applicable in high courts or trial courts.
The first sitting of the SC had 8 judges including the Chief Justice where all judges sat together and hear the cases, but with time it has increased to 31. The Constitution of India has left it to the Parliament to increase the strength. Presently, there are 27 judges in the Supreme Court. The constitution of benches is that of smaller benches of two and three and five, seven, nine and thirteen judges if there is a difference of opinion or a constitutional issue is involved.
