Star lawyers getting preferential listing of cases of rich and famous clients in the Supreme Court is a trend ... Read More

NEW DELHI: Star lawyers getting preferential listing of cases of rich and famous clients in the Supreme Court is a trend that could be reversed under the new Chief Justice of India J S Khehar (in pic), as renowned lawyer Ram Jethmalani found out on Friday.

In the past, engaging top lawyers to steal a march over others in getting cases listed for early hearing usually worked, with previous CJIs acting in deference to the stature of the lawyers.

Khehar, however, has emphasised procedural equality since taking over . Time and again, he has told lawyers requesting early hearing that their clients would not be permitted to jump the queue.

Friday provided more evidence of this when Jethmalani, appearing for Gopal Ansal (convicted in the Uphaar case), requested urgent listing of the tycoon’s application seeking reduction of sentence to the jail term undergone by him.

The court also rejected Ansal’s plea for extension of his surrender deadline of March 9 to serve the remaining part of his one-year sentence.

On Monday, Jethmalani had sought urgent listing of Gopal’s plea seeking parity in sentence with his elder brother Sushil Ansal, who was let off by the court on February 9 saying the sentence already undergone by him was adequate punishment keeping in view his age and ailments. Jethmalani had said Gopal too was old and suffered age-related ailments and, hence, was entitled to parity in sentence. The CJI had said the application would be listed on Friday if the SC registry found no objection.

But the registry did find objections and the matter was not listed on Friday.

Jethmalani complained about it to the CJI on Friday and sought urgent listing and said the court should extend the surrender deadline in the alternative. Justice Khehar firmly told Jethmalani that there was a procedure for everyone to follow. “If the registry has found objections and refused to list the matter, Jethmalani's client can appeal against the registry’s order,” the CJI said and refused to bestow any preferential treatment to the noted lawyer.

