In a recent pronouncement, the Supreme Court of India acknowledged the pervasive issue of substantial pending cases in every High Court and lower court across the nation. The court cautioned against succumbing to the temptation of imposing strict time-bound schedules for case disposals unless deemed necessary due to exceptional circumstances.
A bench comprising Justice Abhay S Oka and Justice Pankaj Mithal made this observation while dismissing a petitioner’s request for a directive instructing the High Court to expedite the resolution of a case within a stipulated timeframe.
The petitioner approached the apex court, expressing dissatisfaction that his bail application, filed in June 2023, was yet to be addressed by the Bombay High Court.
However, the bench declined to entertain the plea, emphasizing that the larger High Courts, in particular, contend with a substantial influx of bail petitions, making some delay in their disposal inevitable.
The court underscored that, in instances of extraordinary urgency, petitioners could directly approach the concerned bench. It expressed confidence that a genuine and urgent request would be duly considered by the relevant bench, stating, “We are sure that if the request is genuine, the concerned bench will entertain it.