Chief Justice of India as the Master of Roaster

Subject: Polity

Context: New CJI appointed

Master of Roaster:

Master of the Roster’ refers to the privilege of the Chief Justice to constitute Benches to hear cases.
The Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court declared that the Chief Justice is the master of the roster and he alone has the prerogative to constitute the Benches of the Court and allocate cases to the Benches so constituted.
No Judge can take up the matter on his own, unless allocated by the Chief Justice of India.
The provisions of the Supreme Court Rules, 2013 empowers the Chief Justice to allocate cases exercising his discretionary powers.
Rules were framed under Article 145 of the Constitution to specifically empower the Chief Justice to nominate Benches for hearing cases or appeal.
The Supreme Court also held that the Chief Justice in his individual capacity is the Master of Roster and it cannot be read as a Collegium of first three or five Judges.