Miscellaneous - This Day That Age   

dated March 7, 1956: SC's third Bench

The third Bench of the Supreme Court began functioning on March 5 by disposing of petitions under Article 136 of the Constitution and other miscellaneous matters. Ever since the Constitution came into force in 1950 there have been only two Benches functioning, one mainly to deal with constitutional matters and the other with the rest. The number has now been increased to three to deal with the increased volume of work. The court has now on its pending list over 400 civil and criminal appeals, 100 constitutional matters and a large number of miscellaneous applications. Under the Constitution at least five judges have to hear constitutional matters and, till Parliament increases the number, the maximum number of judges allowed for the Supreme Court is eight and this has limited the number of Benches that could function at a time to two. Now a third Bench has been created to sit whenever the Constitution Bench is not hearing cases, so that there might be a quicker disposal of pending matters.

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