Overview
- A division bench led by Chief Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva directed trial courts to prioritize and dispose of the Bhopal gas-tragedy matters expeditiously.
- Courts handling these proceedings must send monthly progress reports to the Registrar General for review on the administrative side by the Chief Justice.
- The judges rebuked the prolonged delay, saying the cases "can't be pending for 40 years" after a request for more time from government counsel.
- Government submissions recorded CBI's role and confirmed that one criminal appeal and a miscellaneous criminal judicial case remain pending, with action under Section 82 of the CrPC noted.
- Petitioners blamed repeated transfers of presiding judges for the stagnation, said four convicted UCIL officials died while on bail, and alleged accused have appeared since October 2023 without a chargesheet or trial.