Q. Which organization recently issued the standard operating procedure (SOP) for summoning government officials in judicial proceedings?
Answer:
Supreme Court of India
Notes: The Supreme Court of India issued the SOP for summoning government officials after observing that the constant summoning of officials instead of relying on government lawyers runs contrary to the constitutional scheme. The SOP aims to outline guidelines and restrain the overuse of summons power by courts which often pressurizes the government. It states that officials cannot be summoned just because their stance differs from the court's view. This move brings much-needed reforms to strengthen executive-judiciary coordination by avoiding unnecessary harassment of government officials.