The Judicial Council on Friday formed a constitutional bench at the Supreme Court to settle cases related to disputes arising in course of constitution implementation and others linked to provisions of the charter.

The bench was formed two years after promulgation of the constitution. The bench mainly deals with disputes between the Centre and the states and inter-state issues.

The constitutional bench comprises the chief justice and four senior SC justices recommended by the council. The JC has recommended Deepak Raj Joshi, Om Prakash Mishra, Cholendra Shumsher Rana and Deepak Kumar Karki for the positions. The chief justice forwards cases related to constitution implementation to the bench.

Several cases filed in the SC related to the constitution are pending. According to officials, there are more than 250 constitutional cases awaiting consideration. The apex court had, on March 23, ordered the government to form the bench.

Advocate Madhav Kumar Basnet had filed a writ petition against the Judicial Council on the delays in setting up the bench.

According to Article 137 of the constitution, the bench hears and decides cases related to disputes over the jurisdictions between the federation and a province, among the provinces, between a province and the local level and among the local governments.

The bench also decides matters related to disputes concerning the election of the members of the federal parliament or provincial assemblies.