Kathmandu, March 15:

The Supreme Court has been doing homework to set up commercial benches.“We have been making preparations to set up such benches,” SC joint registrar Binod Sharma told this daily.

According to him, the issue will come up for hearing in a full-court meeting of justices soon. “The benches will be set up following the approval of the full-court meeting,” he added.

The Supreme Court felt the need to set up commercial benches following a rise in the the number of business-related cases.

However, it is still unclear whether such courts will be equivalent to district courts or appellate courts.

While some Acts consider commercial benches equal to district courts, other Acts hold that they are equal to an appellate court.

“The issue will be produced in a full court-meeting soon,” Sharma added. “A study has been conducted to set up commercial benches.”

The benches will look into cases related to company disputes, secured transitions, contracts and banking, negotiable instruments, arbitration, intellectual property rights, finance, foreign investment, insurance, securities, partnership, construction and transportation.

A working group comprising Chief Justice of Jumla Tarka Raj Bhatta and district judges Ananta Raj Dumre, Tek Narayan Kunwar, Narishwor Bhandari and Murari Babu Shrestha has been formed.

“We have recommended that a short procedure should be adopted to decide commercial disputes as such cases need to be decided soon,” said judge Kunwar.