In a move that could effectively fast-forward some crucial cases, including challenges to demonetisation (2016) and reservations to the economically weaker sections (2020), the Supreme Court Wednesday picked 25 cases that will be heard by five-judge Constitution benches starting next week.

This takes effect from August 29, two days after Justice UU Lalit takes over as the Chief Justice of India. CJI N V Ramana retires August 26.

“Take notice that the following five judges bench matters shall be listed before the concerned courts from Monday, the 29th August, 2022 for directions including filing of common compilation, filing of short written submissions and tentative indication with regard to time taken by learned counsel. The matters shall thereafter be listed as per directions of the court,” a notification of the Supreme Court stated.

The Supreme Court on Thursday (August 25) took on record the report of the committee appointed by it to investigate allegations that personal communication devices of a range of people, including journalists, civil society activists, politicians etc., were targeted illegally using the Israeli-built spyware Pegasus.

Details were not immediately available. The report has been submitted in a sealed cover.

The Bench comprising Chief Justice of India N V Ramana and Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli remarked in court, however, that the Government of India did not cooperate with the committee. This was expected, because even before the Supreme Court earlier, the government had declined to disclose whether the spyware had been used to snoop on citizens.