Overview
- The Additional Solicitor General sought to defer Friday’s hearing citing Attorney General R. Venkataramani’s international arbitration, drawing a ‘very unfair to the Court’ rebuke from the CJI.
- The bench noted prior accommodations for the AG and criticised the Centre’s late-night plea to refer the case to a Constitution Bench after petitioners had argued on merits.
- Senior advocate Arvind P. Datar will present the petitioners’ submissions on Friday, November 7, and the Attorney General is listed to argue for the Union on Monday, November 10.
- The CJI warned the matter would be closed on Monday if the Attorney General does not appear and questioned whether the government preferred the case to be heard after his November 23 retirement.
- The petitions led by the Madras Bar Association challenge provisions of the Tribunal Reforms Act, 2021 on tenure, age limits and selection processes, while the Union’s pending application seeks a larger-bench reference on separation-of-powers grounds.