SC refuses urgent hearing of plea challenging NJAC

"There is no urgency. This will come in usual course", the Supreme Court bench said.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday declined an urgent hearing of petitions challenging National Judicial Appointments Commission.

A three-judge bench led by CJI H.L. Dattu refused an oral plea made by one of the three petitioners for an out-of-turn audience. The request was made by senior advocate Bhim Singh during the morning's mentioning slot before the bench.

Mr. Singh's petition calls the NJAC a "minority commission" and terms the selection process envisaged in the statute as "undemocratic".

The other two petitions are by the SC Advicates on Record Association and former additional solicitor general Bishwajit Bhattacharya. They were filed on Monday.

Last August, a Bench headed by Justice A.R. Dave refused to look into the question of legality of the National Judicial Appointments Commission Bill, saying it was “too premature.” The Bill, accompanied by the 121st Constitution Amendment Bill, had just been passed by Parliament and sent to the State legislatures for ratification.