Seven questions explain the Supreme Court’s constitutional bench dispute
Summary
The Supreme Court’s constitutional bench was unable to sit after Justice Hari Prasad Phuyal objected to his inclusion in a five-member bench formed by Chief Justice Manoj Kumar Sharma. The dispute has revived debate over whether seniority, lottery or the chief justice’s discretion should guide the selection of justices.
Key Points
- Justice Hari Prasad Phuyal objected to being included in a constitutional bench formed by Chief Justice Manoj Kumar Sharma, halting the hearing.
- The core dispute is whether the Supreme Court should use seniority, a lottery system or chief justice discretion to choose justices for the constitutional bench.
- The constitutional bench hears major constitutional disputes, including challenges to laws, federal jurisdiction conflicts and election-related cases.
- Similar disagreements have surfaced before, including during the tenures of Cholendra Shumsher JB Rana and Prakash Man Singh Raut.
