New Delhi/Ranchi, July 14 — The Supreme Court on Monday issued a notice to the Jharkhand High Court over an inordinate delay in delivering judgments on appeals filed by 10 convicts — six of whom are on death row — who have been waiting years for a verdict.
The petitioners approached the High Court between 2018 and 2019, challenging their convictions by a lower court. Despite the hearings being concluded between 2022 and 2023, the High Court has yet to pronounce its judgment, prompting the convicts to move the apex court.
A Supreme Court bench comprising Justice Suryakant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi noted that all the pending appeals were presided over by the same High Court judge, raising serious concerns about the delay.
Advocate Fauzia Shakil, appearing for the petitioners, argued that the prolonged withholding of judgments violates Article 21 of the Constitution, which guarantees the right to life and liberty — including the right to a speedy trial. She emphasized the mental trauma endured by the convicts, especially those on death row.
Shakil cited the Supreme Court’s precedent in HPA International vs Bhagwandas, where the court criticized the indefinite reserving of judgments. She also pointed out that the Jharkhand High Court Rules (2001) mandate judgments be delivered within six weeks of argument closure.
Out of the 10 convicts, nine remain in Birsa Munda Central Jail, Ranchi, while one has been released on bail from Dumka Jail. Four of the petitioners are serving life sentences.
The petition further highlighted that, based on prior Supreme Court rulings, convicts who have already served more than eight years are typically eligible for bail — strengthening the argument for expedited decisions in such cases.
