In a clear signal that prolonged and meandering hearings will no longer be tolerated, the Supreme Court of India (SC) has introduced a formal standard operating procedure (SOP) mandating strict timelines for oral arguments in all post-notice and regular hearing matters. The directions, issued through a circular dated 29 December 2025, have come into force with immediate effect and apply to senior advocates, arguing counsel as well as advocates-on-record (
Circular regarding Standard Operating Procedure for adhering to timelines for submission of Oral Arguments).
The circular states that the measures have been put in place to facilitate effective court management, ensure equitable distribution of court working hours and promote the speedy and proper administration of justice, as directed by the chief justice of India (CJI) and all sitting judges
Under the new procedure, lawyers will now be required to disclose in advance the time they intend to take for oral arguments. Senior advocates, arguing counsel or advocates-on-record must submit proposed timelines at least one day prior to the commencement of the hearing. This information is to be filed electronically through SC’s existing online portal used for submitting appearance slips.
By institutionalising advance disclosure of argument time, the Court appears to be seeking greater predictability in daily cause lists and a more disciplined use of judicial hours, which are often disrupted when matters run far beyond anticipated limits.
The circular also makes it mandatory for counsel to file a brief written note of submissions, capped at a maximum of five pages. This note must be served on the opposite party and filed at least three days before the scheduled hearing. The introduction of a strict page limit is significant, given the frequent criticism that lengthy written submissions and oral arguments often overlap, leading to repetition and inefficiency. The Court’s emphasis on concise written notes suggests an attempt to ensure that judges are adequately briefed on the core issues in advance, thereby reducing the need for exhaustive oral exposition in open court.
Most notably, the SOP makes it explicit that all counsel are required to strictly adhere to the timelines fixed by the court and conclude their oral arguments within the allotted time. While courts have previously indicated time limits on a case-by-case basis, this is one of the clearest attempts to formally codify time discipline across categories of matters. The language of the circular leaves little room for ambiguity, signalling that overruns may no longer be viewed as routine or acceptable.
The move follows repeated judicial observations in recent years on the adverse impact of unstructured and prolonged arguments on case pendency and access to justice. With SC continuing to face a substantial backlog, the new framework reflects a broader institutional effort to balance the right to be heard with the need for efficiency and timely resolution. While the effectiveness of the new regime will ultimately depend on consistent enforcement by benches and compliance by members of the Bar, the circular marks a decisive shift towards tighter procedural control in the functioning of the country’s highest court.
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