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The Supreme Court on Thursday while taking note of the high pendency of bail matters in the Allahabad High Court said that it would lay down broad parameters or guidelines to help expedite the same.

A division bench of Justice SK Kaul and Justice Hemant Gupta while hearing a batch of 18 petitions seeking bail citing the time period spent already in prison by the petitioners in its order observed that,

“We are of the view that some broad parameters would have to be laid down, keeping in mind the exigencies of the High Court concerned. The High Court of judicature at Allahabad and Lucknow have a long pendency of appeals. Thus, aspects such as the period undergone, the heinousness of the crime, the age of the accused, the period is taken in the trial, and whether the appellants are diligently prosecuting the appeals inter alia may be factors that may be material.”

Additional Advocate General for the State of Uttar Pradesh Garima Prasad submitted that she would furnish a note suggesting the guidelines which could be adopted so that the high court could itself deal with these aspects.

Taking note of the 18 matters pending and anticipating filing of more matters only on account of the period of sentence already undergone, the Court said that, 

“In the conspectus of the same, suggestions can also be made qua 18 matters before us and we will examine whether those cases should be remitted to the High court for consideration or there are some obvious cases which can be dealt with at the very threshold.”

The High Court was also directed to formulate the same by ensuring interaction between the standing counsel, Registrar of the High Court, and the AAG within 3 weeks.

The court while listing the matter for August 23, 2021, also granted liberty to the petitioner’s counsel to make any suggestions in general terms and examine as to whether cases before the Top Court could be dealt with at this stage. 

Case Title: Sudan Singh v State of Uttar Pradesh