d) the number of such benches set up so far and number of Benches proposed to be set up in the country, State-wise?
(a) to (c) No proposal has been received from State Governments for setting up of Regional Benches of Supreme Court. However, representations have been received at various times from various quarters for establishment of Benches of Supreme Court in various parts of the country. The Law Commission, in its 229th Report had also suggested that a Constitutional Bench be set up at Delhi and four Cassation Benches be set up at Delhi, Chennai/ Hyderabad, Kolkata and Mumbai. The idea of a separate Bench of Supreme Court outside Delhi has not found favour with the Supreme Court of India.
High Court Benches are established in accordance with the recommendations made by the Jaswant Singh Commission and judgment pronounced by the Apex Court in W.P.(C) No.379 of 2000 and after due consideration of a complete proposal from the State Government and the Chief Justice of the concerned High Court alongwith the consent of the Governor of the concerned State. The State Government has to provide necessary infrastructural facilities to establish a Bench of the High Court away from its principal seat and to bear the entire expenditure of the High Court and its Bench. The Chief Justice of the High Court is required to look after the day-today administration of the High Court and its Bench and depute Judges from the Principal Seat to Bench from time-to-time. It is, therefore, necessary that both the State Government and the High Court consider the matter from all angles and arrive at a consensus.
Requests for establishment of High Court Benches in different parts of the country have been received from various sources including some State Governments. However, at present there is no complete proposal including from the State of Rajasthan that is pending for consideration of the Central Government.
(d) A statement showing Benches of High Courts State-wise is at Annexure.