(MENAFN- KNN India) New Delhi, Aug 27 (KNN) The Supreme Court has expressed strong concern over delays in the pronouncement of judgments by the Allahabad High Court, reiterating guidelines laid down in Anil Rai v. State of Bihar (2001) for timely delivery of judgments.

A Division Bench of Justices Sanjay Karol and Prashant Kumar Mishra was considering appeals against interim orders dated 28 August 2024 and 9 January 2023, arising from a criminal appeal filed by Respondent 2 that had not been taken up for hearing.

The Court noted with dismay that although the matter was heard and reserved for judgment on 24 December 2021, no decision was delivered for almost a year.

The Bench referred to the report submitted by the Registrar General of the Allahabad High Court, which confirmed that the appeal, pending since 2008, had remained undecided despite repeated attempts by the appellant for early listing.

The case had to be reassigned by the Chief Justice of the High Court after the prolonged delay.

Observing that such practices erode public confidence in the judicial system, the Supreme Court highlighted the absence of a mechanism in many High Courts allowing litigants to raise concerns over delayed judgments.

It cautioned that failure to pronounce judgments within a reasonable period defeats the ends of justice.

Reiterating directions issued in the Anil Rai ruling, the Court directed all High Courts to ensure stricter adherence.

It instructed Registrars General to submit to the Chief Justice of the concerned High Court, at the end of each month, a list of cases where judgments reserved were not delivered within that month, and to continue this reporting for three consecutive months.

If judgments remain pending beyond three months, the Chief Justice of the High Court must place the matter before the concerned Bench with directions to pronounce the order within two weeks, failing which the case should be reassigned to another Bench.

The Supreme Court clarified that these directions are in addition to those laid down in Anil Rai, and stressed that timely pronouncement of judgments is integral to ensuring justice and maintaining faith in the judicial process. The appeals were accordingly disposed of.

(KNN Bureau)

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