India, Feb. 11 -- The Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Tuesday pressed the Supreme Court for an urgent hearing on its plea challenging a series of public statements by Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, alleging they targeted Muslims -- even as the court cautioned against a rising trend of election-timed litigation flooding its docket.

"Problem is, as and when elections come, part of the elections is fought inside the Supreme Court. That is the problem," remarked Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, as advocate Nizam Pasha pressed for an early listing.

Pasha told the CJI-led bench that the petitions was filed by the CPI(M) and another leader of the Communist Party of India (Annie Raja), alleging that Sarma made communal remark...