The Supreme Court has issued a landmark ruling, mandating that high courts across India decide bail applications within 24 hours of hearing. The court also set a three-month outer limit for pronouncing reserved judgments.
In a bid to tackle judicial delays affecting personal liberty and speedy justice, the court laid down an extensive framework to institutionalise transparency, accountability, and timelines in judicial functioning.
The ruling came in response to prolonged delays in pronouncing judgments by several high courts, particularly in criminal appeals involving life convicts who remained in custody despite concluded hearings and reserved judgments.
Under the directions, if a reserved judgment is not delivered within three months, the matter must be placed before the chief justice within two weeks. If the judgment is still not pronounced, the chief justice may reassign the case to another bench for a fresh hearing.
The court also directed that bail applications should be heard, decided, and uploaded on the same day, with orders granting bail or suspending sentence to be communicated to jail and other authorities immediately.
The ruling aims to enhance accountability in the judicial system and strengthen the institution, with the court encouraging circulation among judges of cases pending for more than two months.
Litigants affected by delayed judgments will be entitled to file applications seeking early pronouncement, which must be listed before the concerned bench within two working days.
