Supreme Court Justice Ujjal Bhuyan cautioned against criminalising everyday activities, observing that eating chicken over the Ganga is not an offence. He also expressed concern over delays in granting bail to persons arrested in protest-related cases.
The Allahabad High Court issued detailed guidelines governing preventive detention under the BNSS and CrPC, holding that detainees should ordinarily be released on personal bonds without sureties. The Court also introduced compensation for unlawful detention beyond 24 hours, strengthening accountability and protection of personal liberty.
The Allahabad High Court termed the situation “shocking” after records showed that 4,847 people were placed in preventive detention in Prayagraj and Ghaziabad over two years. The Court expressed concern that many detainees remained jailed for days or weeks despite statutory safeguards under the law.
The Supreme Court awarded Rs 11 lakh compensation to a prisoner unlawfully kept in custody for 24 days beyond the legally permissible period, holding that wrongful deprivation of personal liberty constitutes a serious violation of Article 21 and undermines the constitutional guarantee of fundamental rights.
The Supreme Court directed High Courts to ordinarily pronounce judgments within three months of reserving verdicts, expressing concern over delays in delivery and uploading of judgments, especially in matters involving personal liberty, while issuing comprehensive nationwide guidelines to ensure timely judicial pronouncements and accessibility.