Supreme Court: Interim Bail Should Be an Exception, Not Granted Routinely or Repeatedly

The Supreme Court has observed that interim bail should be an exception rather than a norm, cautioning against its routine and repeated use by courts.

A Bench of Justices remarked while hearing a bail plea of Asim Mallik, booked under the NDPS Act, expressing concern over the Odisha High Court’s pattern of recurring interim bail grants.

The Court emphasized that judicial discretion should be used to grant regular bail or deny bail outright, rather than relying on repeated interim relief.

Considering the facts and circumstances of the case, the Court granted bail to the petitioner, citing a three-year incarceration period and a lack of significant progress in the trial. (Asim Mallik vs. The State of Odisha)