Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday issued binding directions to all high courts across the country under Article 142 of the Constitution to ensure faster delivery of judgments, setting strict timelines for reserved verdicts, bail orders, and online uploads of rulings.
Reserved Judgments Must Be Delivered Within Three Months
A bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant ruled that reserved judgments must be pronounced within three months. The directions are binding on all high courts and are aimed at addressing the longstanding problem of delays in the judicial system that erode public confidence.
Same-Day Bail Orders Mandated
The Supreme Court directed high courts to pronounce bail orders on the same day after hearing arguments, or by the following day if the order is reserved. Once regular bail is granted, the order must be immediately communicated to the trial court, and undertrial prisoners must be released on the same day after completing the required formalities.
All Judgments to Be Uploaded Within 24 Hours
To enhance transparency and accessibility, the apex court ordered that all judgments must be uploaded on the respective high court websites within 24 hours of being pronounced. The bench also clarified that the date on which the operative part of a judgment is delivered will be treated as its official date.
Delays Hurt Public Trust, Says SC
The court emphasised that high courts are the primary institutions where thousands of citizens seek relief every day, and that delays in pronouncing judgments directly damage public confidence in the judiciary. The bench, however, clarified that the directions were not intended to cast aspersions on any judge or judicial institution.
Jharkhand High Court Case Triggered the Ruling
The landmark directions came while the Supreme Court was hearing a case specifically related to long delays in pronouncement and uploading of judgments in the Jharkhand High Court, making it a nationally significant ruling that will impact judicial functioning across all states.
