Supreme Court calls for speedy bail hearings, asks High Courts to fix timelines

In its suggestions, the Supreme Court suggested that the High Courts list bail matters on a weekly or fortnightly basis to prevent long pendency and repeated adjournments.

In Short

• Supreme Court urges faster disposal of bail bail pleas
• High Courts to list bail matters weekly or fortnightly to avoid delays
• New bail applications to be heard within a week of filing

The Supreme Court has issued fresh suggestions aimed at ensuring quicker disposal of bail and anticipatory bail applications pending before High Courts across the country, stressing that delays in hearing such pleas directly impact personal liberty.

In its recommendations, the top court suggested that the High Courts list bail matters on a weekly or fortnightly basis to prevent long pendency and repeated adjournments.

The court also said fresh bail applications should ideally be listed within a week of filing. It further recommended automatic relisting of matters that could not be taken up during previous hearings.

Among other measures, the Supreme Court suggested mandatory filing of status reports before the first hearing of a bail plea and directed that copies of bail applications be served in the Advocate General’s office.

The court also advised High Courts to prescribe an external timeline for disposal of bail cases in order to ensure speedy adjudication.

The Supreme Court expressed hope that state governments, High Courts and investigating agencies would work together to create a “robust mechanism” for timely disposal of bail applications while also protecting the rights of victims.

“The court hopes that the state governments, High Courts and investigating agencies will take necessary steps in a collaborative manner to ensure timely disposal of bail applications,” the bench observed.

The latest directions come months after the Supreme Court, in September last year, instructed High Courts to dispose of bail and anticipatory bail pleas within two months of filing.

At the time, the court had emphasised that bail matters should not remain pending indefinitely and had asked Chief Justices of High Courts to ensure speedy hearings.

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