Master of the roster
In one line: The Chief Justice of a court alone decides which bench hears which case and when, a power known as being the "master of the roster".
Where it comes from
In State of Rajasthan v. Prakash Chand (1998), the Supreme Court held that the Chief Justice of a High Court has the prerogative to constitute benches and allocate work. The principle was applied to the CJI in Campaign for Judicial Accountability and Reforms v. Union of India (2017) and reaffirmed in Shanti Bhushan v. Supreme Court of India (2018).
Why it is in the news
Because listing is controlled by each High Court's Chief Justice, the Supreme Court has traditionally avoided telling High Courts when to hear cases. The CJI said this respect should continue, but asked High Courts to make listing more transparent and predictable so litigants do not need to come to Delhi.
Where to go next
- Article 226 writ jurisdiction
- Kerala High Court
Master of the roster in the news
- CJI asks why litigants rush to the Supreme Court for early hearings in High Court cases 2 November 2026
Who decides when a case is heard
- Op-ed: Split verdict on the Election Commissioners Act exposes how the Supreme Court sits 3 October 2026
Who decides which judges hear which case
Previous-year questions on this
- 2023 · GS2 · 10 marks "Constitutionally guaranteed judicial independence is a prerequisite of democracy". Comment.
- 2018 · GS2 · 15 marks How far do you agree with the view that tribunals curtail the jurisdiction of ordinary courts? In view of the above, discuss the constitutional validity and competency of the tribunals in India.
- 2015 · GS2 · 12.5 marks To achieve the desired objectives, it is necessary to ensure that the regulatory institutions remain independent and autonomous. Discuss in the light of experiences in the recent past.
- 2014 · GS2 · 12.5 marks Starting from inventing the 'basic structure' doctrine, the judiciary has played a highly pro active role in ensuring that India develops into a thriving democracy. In light of the statement…
- 2017 · Prelims Consider the following statements: 1. The Election Commission of India is a five-member body. 2. Union Ministry of Home Affairs decides the election schedule for the conduct of both general…