SC directs Centre to form committee for disposal of cheque bounce cases
New Delhi/UNI: The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the Centre to constitute a committee for disposal of cheque bounce cases, which form 30 per cent to 40 per cent of the backlog in trial courts and a sizeable chunk of the pile-up in High Courts.
The apex court bench headed by Chief Justice SA Bobde while hearing a suo motu case pending since March 2020, asked Additional Solicitor General Vikramjit Banerjee to suggest the names of the members, secretaries or officers from various departments for constituting the committee.
"We might add that it would be necessary to have a former Judge who has had wide-ranging experience as a trial judge, on the Committee", the bench asserted.
The bench also comprising Justices L Nageswara Rao and S Ravindra Bhat was considering guidelines to be issued for expeditious disposal of cheque bounce cases punishable under Section 138 Negotiable Instruments Act.
The top court noted that "prima facie" the Union Government has a duty to establish additional courts for better administration of laws made by Parliament.
Over 35 lakh cheque bounce cases were pending in various courts across the country, the top court had found earlier.
Last year, it had appointed senior advocate Siddharth Luthra and advocate K. Parameshwar as amici curiae in the suo motu case. It had sought responses from the Centre and other stakeholders, including the Reserve Bank of India.
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