[BREAKING] 25 Constitution Bench matters to be listed by Supreme Court from August 29

The Supreme Court will start listing twenty-five Constitution bench matters pending before it from August 29, Monday..According to a notice issued by the top court, these matters which are before before Constitution benches of 5 judges, will be listed for directions including filing of common compilation, filing of short written submissions and tentative indication with regard to time to be taken by lawyers for making their arguments. The matters will, thereafter, be listed as per directions of the court, the notice said..The cases listed include the following:- Is there a need for having exclusive Courts of Appeal, with exclusive jurisdiction to decide large number of routine cases, as well as Article 32 petitions now being decided by the Supreme Court of India keeping in mind the increasing pendency- Challenge to the constitutionality of the Constitution (One Hundred and Third Amendment) Act, 2019 that provided for reservations for economically weaker sections;- WhatsApp’s privacy policy and its users' right to privacy under Article 21;- Supreme Court's power under Article 142 to dissolve a marriage between consenting parties;- Constitutional validity of a state legislation declaring all members of the Muslim community in Andhra Pradesh as part of the “Backward Classes”;- Granting of minority status to Sikhs in the State of Punjab;- Plea concerning internet safety and seeking directions for the government to secure personal information;- Challenge to the prevalent practice of polygamy including Nikah Halala, Nikah Mutah, and Nikah Misyar;- Can the executive using Article 161 of the Constitution frame a policy to grant remission without placing records before the Governor;- Does a legislator enjoy immunity under Article 194(2) of the Constitution from prosecution for accepting bribes to vote in Parliament or an Assembly;- Plea challenging Section 6A(1) of the DPSE Act which provides immunity for officers of the level of Joint Secretary and above;- Plea assailing current system for appointing members of the Election Commission of India (ECI);.A recent research project by Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy, which was published on Bar & Bench, had highlighted in detail about the pendency of Constitution bench cases before the top court and the need to set up more Constitution Benches to hear such cases.As per the same, a total of 492 cases are pending before Constitution Benches (benches with five or more judges) of the Supreme Court. Out of these, 41 cases are main matters, a decision in which will dispose of most of the connected matters as well.There are a total of 41 main and 301 connected matters pending before 5-judge benches of the Supreme Court.The number with respect to 7-judge benches are 7 main and 8 connected matters.Further, there are 5 main and 130 connected matters pending before 9-judge benches.[Read notice and list of matters below]