Kerala High Court's self-imposed 2-week deadline for regular bail and 6-week limit for anticipatory bail should be treated as a binding procedural mandate, not a mere guideline.
Aaj ka motion yeh hai: 'High Courts Must Enforce Mandatory Time Limits for Deciding Bail Applications' — yeh sawaal seedha liberty aur justice ke beech ke nazuk balance ko chhoota hai, aur Kerala ke sandarbh mein iska bahut gehraa mahatva hai. Main chahti hoon ki dono counsel is motion par apne paksh rakhein, aur hum milkar ek samajhdaar, balanced nazar daalein is constitutional sawaal par. Counsel Aarav, please apna paksh rakhein.
My lord, main yeh sthaapit karna chahta hoon ki High Courts ko bail applications par mandatory time limits enforce karni chahiye — kyunki aaj Kerala sameta poore desh mein undertrial prisoners mahino, kaafi baar saalon tak, sirf is wajah se jadon mein sad rahe hain kyunki unki bail application par koi sunwai hi nahi hoti. Yeh sirf ek procedural sawaal nahi hai — yeh ek aise insaan ki azaadi ka sawaal hai jo abhi tak doshi saabit nahi hua, aur har din ki deri uski zimmedari nahi, system ki naakaamee hai. Isliye is motion ka poora paksh main leta hoon: High Courts ko ek spashtata ke saath, mandatory time-bound framework ke andar bail applications decide karni chahiye — yeh nahi hoga toh nyay, nyay nahi rahega, sirf ek lafz ban ke reh jaayega.
My Lord, main Bina hoon, aur main yeh clearly kehna chahti hoon ki paksh ki yeh maang — ki High Courts par mandatory time limits thopi jaayein bail applications decide karne ke liye — judicial independence ke mool siddhant ke khilaaf jaati hai. Article 21 ke tahat jo 'fair and reasonable procedure' ki guarantee hai, woh sirf accused ke liye nahi, balki justice ki sampoorna prakriya ke liye hai — aur ek rigid, time-bound formula us prakriya ko nyay dilane ke bajay machanic bana deta hai. CrPC Section 439, jo ki High Court ko bail ke mamle mein special powers deta hai, in powers ka uddeshya flexibility aur judicial discretion hai — koi assembly-line deadline nahi.
Ref: Constitution of India · Article 21; Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 · Section 439
My lord, vipaksh kehta hai ki bail applications par time limit lagana judicial discretion ko restrict karega — lekin main poori tarah se is point ko reject karta hoon, kyunki discretion ka matlab unlimited delay nahi hota. Ek undertrial jo mahino se prison mein baitha hai sirf isliye kyunki uski bail application decide hi nahi hui, uske liye discretion ka yeh tariqa insaaf nahi, balki punishment hai bina conviction ke. Is liye main maanta hoon ki mandatory time limits judicial accountability ka zaroori hissa hain, aur High Courts ke paas pooraa power hai apne own rules frame karke is gap ko bharne ka.
My lord, paksh ne kehne ki koshish ki ki time limits se justice tez hogi — lekin main yeh maanti hoon ki bina adequate safeguards ke ek rigid deadline impose karna ulta complex cases mein superficial hearings ko janam degi, jahan judge sirf deadline poori karne ke liye bail refuse kar denge, aur uss denial ka bojh ek ordinary undertrial ki liberty par padega. Aur my lord, main yeh bhi kehna chahti hoon ki Kerala High Court ke paas apni supervisory jurisdiction pehle se hai — uss mechanism ko strengthen karo, ek nayi mandatory regime nahi. Isliye main firmly maanti hoon ki yeh motion, jis roop mein hai, High Courts par impose nahi hona chahiye.
Petitioner ki taraf se yeh strong daleelen aayi ki bail applications mein undue delay, Article 21 ke tahat guaranteed personal liberty ka seedha haas hai — procedure just aur reasonable hona chahiye. Respondent ki taraf se yeh point aaya ki har case ki complexity alag hoti hai, isliye rigid time limits judicial discretion ko kaatna nahi chahiye. Meri balanced legal suggestion yeh hai: High Courts ko mandatory time-bound guidelines adopt karni chahiye — shayad 60-90 din ki outer limit — lekin exceptional circumstances mein recorded reasons se extension ka provision bhi rakha jaye, taaki liberty aur judicial pragmatism dono protect hon. Ab main citizens se nivedan karti hoon ki is debate ko rate karen aur apni raay neeche share karen.
Ref: Constitution of India · Article 21; Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 · Section 439