No more IAs in MC Mehta: Supreme Court to close 1985 case to avoid pendency impression

The Supreme Court on Monday said that it is planning to give a formal closure to the MC Mehta cases which have been shown as pending before the apex court since 1984-85 due to subsequent filing of interlocutory applications (IAs) under the MC Mehta caption.

The original MC Mehta cases relate to environmental pollution, land matters and Taj trapezium pollution.

Though these cases were decided by the apex court long ago, subsequent matters relating to similar issues were being filed as interlocutory applications under the same MC Mehta case of 1985.

Thus, these new matters being listed as MC Mehta cases gave a wrong impression that the 1985 cases were still continuing.

The Bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul Pancholi said this practice should be stopped.

“It appears that multiple matters are shown as pending under the MC Mehta title even though the principal proceedings were concluded years ago...1984 case was decided decades ago and MAs, IAs are filed in such a manner that shows as if the case is pending. Another MC Mehta case of 1985 was too decided and that too is shown as alive due to IAs and MAs. Another pending plea is Taj Trapezium matter,” the Bench observed.

The Bench directed that the 1984 matter, the 1985 matter and the Taj Trapezium case be listed separately on three different dates and that all interlocutory applications be taken up on the respective dates of those matters.

“What is happening in this court? IA after IA is being filed in this court. MC Mehta alone has 85 pending ones. Then you will ask the Parliament how many cases are pending before us. I will not go through such embarrassment!” the Chief Justice said.

The Chief Justice also asked court officers to examine how such cases could be re-captioned so that disposed matters are not kept on the active docket merely because miscellaneous applications continue to be filed.

“Let the Attorney General for India, Solicitor General, Additional Solicitor General inform us how these cases should be recaptioned so that the main cases are not kept alive. Let the identification of cases be also done so that which cases can be transferred to the High Court,” the Court said.

The Court made it clear that no further interlocutory applications would be entertained in the 1985 matter.

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