Supreme Court: Bail Pleas Must Be Decided Within Two Months

The Supreme Court has ordered all High Courts and Subordinate Courts to decide regular and anticipatory bail applications within two months from the date of filing, except where parties cause delay.

A bench of Justices J.B. Pardiwala and R. Mahadevan said that undue delay in bail pleas deprives individuals of their constitutional rights under Articles 14 and 21.

The Court criticised the Bombay High Court for keeping an anticipatory bail plea pending for nearly six years, stressing that cases concerning personal liberty cannot be left in abeyance and must be prioritised.

[Anna Waman Bhalerao v State of Maharashtra]