SC Directs HCs To Give Action Plan To Decide Long Pending Criminal Appeals

The Supreme Court has directed the High Courts of Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Patna, Bombay and Orissa to file affidavits submitting their plan of action for deciding the criminal appeals that have been pending before the High Courts for a long period of time.

The Court was informed by the counsel for the petitioner that the appeal against his conviction and sentencing has been pending before the Allahabad High Court.The Court took note of criminal appeals pending before the High Courts for over 30 years and noted that according to the National judicial data grid (NJDG), this number stood at a staggering 14,484.

The Court has also granted liberty to the counsel for petitioner in the instant case to make suggestions.These suggestions, as well as the affidavits by the High Courts shall be filed five days prior to the next date of hearing which is fixed for July 29.

The petitioner in the case was represented by Senior Counsel Devadutt Kamat assisted by Advocate Rajesh Inamdar while the State of Uttar Pradesh was represented by Senior Counsel Aishwarya Bhati and Advocate Ardhendumauli Kumar Prasad. Centre was represented by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta.

By Shrija Chauhan of LCD