I'm also human: HC Judge on urgent hearing

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru

Justice M Nagaprasanna of the Karnataka High Court recently expressed concern over lawyers submitting multiple memos or requests for the urgent and early listing of their cases. A ‘mentioning memo’ is a formal request made by advocates to the court, seeking an early hearing or out-of-turn listing for urgent matters as reported by the Bar and Bench. To request an urgent mention before the Karnataka High Court, advocates may either file a written memo to be presented before the Court or submit such requests online.

On December 10, the judge urged advocates to maintain courtroom decorum and avoid speaking over one another. He also advised against filing multiple memos for the same matter. The single judge further pointed out that his court had received an overwhelming 7,500 memos in the past 29 days, of which 5,300 matters had already been listed for hearing. “Do not submit a collection of memos. I am telling you, if all of you speak at once, I won’t accept a single memo. Do you realize how many memos are pending? 7,500. Where should I go? I have already posted 5,300 matters. Beyond this, what more can be done? I am also a human being. You cannot milk the cow until it bleeds,” Justice Nagaprasanna remarked, as per the Bar and Bench report.

These comments were made when advocates gathered in his courtroom on December 10, seeking early hearing dates. One lawyer repeatedly asked Justice Nagaprasanna to grant an early hearing date, mentioning that he had already moved the memo 29 times without success as per the Bar and Bench report. The judge responded by acknowledging that many advocates were submitting multiple memos for the same matter but still failing to secure dates.

He explained that while he was doing his best to hear as many matters as possible, there were limits to what could be done. “There are many advocates who have submitted memos 20 times and yet their cases have not been listed. What can I do?” the judge said.