In Brief
A criminal appeal had been pending before the Allahabad High Court since 2008 and was heard and reserved for judgment in December 2021, but no verdict was delivered for years. The Supreme Court criticized this severe delay as violating the principle of speedy justice and eroding public confidence in the judiciary. The Court reaffirmed guidelines requiring that reserved judgments be pronounced within set timelines, with Chief Justice oversight when delays exceed three months and reassignment to another Bench if necessary. The Court directed all High Court Registrar Generals to monitor delayed judgments and report them, ensuring better compliance and preventing future delays in judgment delivery.
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