New Delhi, May 14: Raising serious concerns over delays in the judicial system, the Supreme Court on Tuesday suggested that a performance audit of High Court judges may be necessary to ensure timely justice. The observation came during the hearing of a case involving prolonged delays in verdicts by the Jharkhand High Court, which the Bench warned could erode public trust in the judiciary.
The matter stemmed from a plea by four life-term convicts from the Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes, who approached the apex court after their criminal appeals remained pending, reserved for judgment for over two to three years, despite the conclusion of hearings. They argued that the delay amounted to a grave miscarriage of justice and violated their fundamental rights, as they remained incarcerated without any final verdict.
In earlier hearings, the Supreme Court had called for a status report. It was subsequently informed that all four judgments had finally been delivered—three resulting in acquittals and one leading to a split verdict, which was referred to another Bench. All four petitioners have since been released.
However, the Court made it clear that the issue was larger than the individual cases. A Bench comprising Justice Surya Kant and Justice K. Vinod Chandran expressed strong views on the need for judicial accountability and timely delivery of justice.
“There are judges who are very hardworking, but there are also those who unnecessarily take breaks—coffee breaks, lunch breaks—while critical cases remain pending,” the Bench observed. “We are receiving numerous complaints about delays by High Court judges. It’s high time we conduct a performance audit to evaluate what is being delivered in proportion to the public resources being spent.”
The judges emphasized that such delays strike at the core of the criminal justice system. “The concerns raised in the May 5 order are of paramount importance. This is not just about four individuals; it’s about the credibility of the justice delivery mechanism,” the Court stated.
Noting that systemic delays can destroy public faith in the judiciary, the Bench signaled the need for deeper scrutiny and possibly, institutional reforms. “We may need to issue mandatory guidelines to prevent further erosion of trust and to ensure convicts and undertrials aren’t left in limbo,” it added.
Taking a broader view of the issue, the Supreme Court has sought comprehensive data from all High Courts, including the dates when judgments were reserved, delivered, and published. The matter will be taken up again in July, where the Court may consider framing binding guidelines to tackle systemic delays in verdicts.
