Review stalled criminal trials, SC directs HC CJs

The top court ruling came while dealing with a dowry death casein Rajasthan.

- Utkarsh Anand

The Supreme Court on Thursday urged the chief justices of all high courts to urgently review criminal cases involving serious offences such as murder, rape and dowry deaths where trials have been stalled for years due to interim orders and expedite them, cautioning that such prolonged stays would amount to a “mockery of justice”.

A bench of justices JB Pardiwala and KV Viswanathan emphasised that the justice delivery system must balance the rights of the accused with those of victims and their families.

“If criminal trials in such serious offences remain pending for years together on the strength of interim orders by high courts, it would lead to mockery of justice. Justice has to be done with all parties and not only with the accused. Justice must be done to the victims and their families too,” the bench said.