Fix time for completion of trials, but denying bail no solution, SC tells HCs

THE Supreme Court has expressed strong displeasure after discovering that High Courts have been denying bail to people incarcerated for long periods.

- SUCHITRA K MOHANTY

Instead, they instruct trial courts to resolve the cases within a specified deadline.

A two-judge bench of Justices Abhay S. Oka and Augustine George Masih observed, "Every day we notice that in several orders passed by different High Courts while rejecting the bail applications, in a routine manner, the High Courts are fixing a time-bound schedule for the conclusion of the trials. Such directions adversely affect the functioning of the trial courts as in many Trial Courts, there may be older cases of the same category pending."