Supreme Court expresses concern over delay in pronouncing verdicts by HCs, seeks report

New Delhi [India], May 5 (ANI): The Supreme Court on Monday expressed concern over the delay in pronouncing the judgement by the court, and directed the Registrar Generals of all High Courts to submit a report on cases where judgments are still not pronounced despite reserving them on or before January 31, 2025.A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Justice NK Singh expressed surprise that the Jharkhand High Court has not pronounced verdicts in 67 criminal appeals after reserving judgement.

Saying this cannot be allowed to happen, it asked all High Courts to submit report in a month on cases where judgements are pending.

Observing that the delay in pronouncing judgment was “very disturbing”, the bench said it will lay down some mandatory guidelines on the issue.

“We will definitely like to lay down some mandatory guidelines. It can’t be allowed to happen like this,” said Justice Kant.

The order of the top court came while hearing a petition filed by four convicts alleging that judgments on their criminal appeals, which had been reserved, have not been pronounced by the Jharkhand High Court despite lapse of two-three years.The apex court perused the report filed by Registrar General of the Jharkhand High Court in which it said in 56 criminal appeals heard by division bench from January, 2022 till December, 2024, the verdict has not been pronounced despite order being reserved.The bench also noted that before the single bench judge, judgement has not been pronounced in 11 criminal appeals despite order being reserved. (ANI)