The Supreme Court on Wednesday said that “all matters are treated equally before us” after Senior Advocate Gaurav Bhatia, appearing for the complainant in a defamation case against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, raised concerns over the repeated non-listing of Gandhi’s matter.

The issue relates to a Special Leave Petition filed by Gandhi challenging criminal proceedings arising out of his alleged remarks concerning the Indian Army and the Chinese attack in the context of the 2020 Galwan clash.

In August 2025, a bench headed by Justice Dipankar Datta had stayed the proceedings against Gandhi. The matter was last listed before the Court on April 23. On Wednesday, Gandhi’s petition was listed along with two other matters before a bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant.

Appearing for the complainant, Bhatia urged the Court to hear Gandhi’s matter at an early date and sought that it be de-tagged from the other cases with which it had been listed.

“The Rahul Gandhi matter should be taken up for an early hearing and de-tagged from the other matters. The case has been getting adjourned and the petitioner has not been appearing on the dates fixed. The matter was listed about five months ago as well, but could not be taken up,” Bhatia submitted.

He further remarked, “Rahul Gandhi is not a VVIP. Let the matter be de-tagged and heard independently.”

The Chief Justice, however, directed the complainant’s side to follow the prescribed procedure and file an appropriate application seeking an early hearing.

Bhatia thereafter alleged that the matter was not being listed by the Registry despite a specific judicial direction, adding that the situation “does not augur well for the institution as well.”

Responding to the submission, CJI Surya Kant said, “All matters are treated equally. Please file an appropriate application.”

Gandhi’s petition has been tagged with two other criminal defamation matters concerning The Wire. Counsel appearing in those matters submitted that the limited issue before the Court relates to Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), specifically whether an accused must be given an opportunity of being heard before cognizance is taken.

The counsel also submitted that the issue in those matters has no connection with the 2024 Rahul Gandhi case with which the petition has been tagged.

Case Details: Rahul Gandhi v. State of U.P. & Anr., Diary No. 31445/2025.