Supreme Court To High Courts: Prioritise Criminal Appeals Of Elderly Accused On Bail, Especially When Crime Is Old

The Supreme Court in the case State of Madhya Pradesh vs Shyamlal and others observed and has advised the High Courts to give adequate priority to criminal appeals, where the accused are on bail.

- TDG NETWORK

The court in the case observed that if the accused persons have remained on bail, especially in cases which relate to life sentences, and the appeal is ultimately dismissed after several years, then sending the accused back to prison might be difficult, particularly when they have attained old age.

The court noted that the High Court prioritises appeals where the accused are in prison and there needs to be a balance struck so as to give adequate priority to the appeals where the accused are on bail, especially when the accused are aged and a long time has passed since the crime.

The court stated that the old age of the accused and the long lapse of time from the commission of the offence can always be a ground which is being available to give some priority to the appeals against conviction of the accused on bail.