The Supreme Court on Friday issued binding directions to all high courts across India to ensure faster delivery of judgments and reduce judicial delays. Invoking its special powers under Article 142 of the Constitution, a bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant ordered that reserved judgments must be pronounced within three months.
Strict timelines for bail matters
The top court also laid down strict timelines for bail proceedings. It directed high courts to pronounce bail orders on the same day after hearing the case, or by the next day if the order is reserved. Once regular bail is granted, the order must be immediately communicated to the trial court. Additionally, undertrial prisoners granted bail should be released on the same day after completing required formalities.
Transparency and accountability
To improve transparency, the Supreme Court ordered that all judgments must be uploaded on high court websites within 24 hours of pronouncement. The bench clarified that the date on which the operative part of a judgment is pronounced will be treated as the official date of the judgment. Stressing the importance of timely justice, the Court observed that high courts are primary institutions where thousands approach daily for relief, and delays directly affect public confidence in the judiciary.
No aspersions on judges
The apex court clarified that the directions were not meant to cast aspersions on any judge or judicial institution. The ruling came while hearing a case related to long delays in pronouncement and uploading of judgments, particularly in the Jharkhand high court.
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