Supreme Court Sets Three-Month Deadline for High Courts to Deliver Reserved Judgments
New Delhi: In a significant move aimed at reducing judicial delays, the Supreme Court on Friday directed all High Courts across the country to pronounce judgments within three months of reserving orders.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi observed that prolonged delays in delivering judgments can cause serious prejudice and irreparable harm to litigants. Stressing the importance of timely justice, the court said cases involving personal liberty require urgent consideration.
The apex court directed that orders on bail applications should ideally be pronounced on the same day. If an order is reserved, it must be delivered and uploaded by the following day.
The bench also issued guidelines to ensure prompt implementation of bail and sentence suspension orders. It directed that such orders be communicated to jail authorities immediately after pronouncement so that undertrial prisoners or convicts granted relief can be released preferably on the same day, or at the latest by the next day.
The directions are expected to improve judicial efficiency and strengthen the constitutional principle of speedy justice.
