Deprecating the practice of courts keeping bail
applications pending for years, the Supreme Court has said that even a single
day's delay in deciding such matters adversely affects the fundamental rights
of citizens.
The apex court has time and again emphasised the
importance of personal liberty, a bench of Justices B R Gavai and K V
Viswanathan said in an order passed on Friday.
"It has been observed by this court (that) even
a single day('s) delay in deciding the bail application adversely affects the
fundamental rights of the citizens," it said.
"We do not appreciate the practice of keeping
bail application pending for years together," it said.
The top court's observation came while hearing a
plea filed by a man who said his bail application was pending before the
Allahabad High Court since August last year and there was no progress in the
matter.
The petitioner said the matter was adjourned
repeatedly before the high court without any effective hearing.
The SC noted that it has been informed that the
matter was posted for hearing before the High Court on November 11.
"... we request the judge, before whom the
matter is placed, to take up the matter on the same date and decide it as
expeditiously as possible and, in any case, within a period of two weeks from
November 11, 2024," the bench said, while disposing of the plea.