Overview

• A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi formally issued notice to the Jharkhand High Court registry general following a petition by 10 inmates
• Petitioners comprise six death row convicts and four serving life sentences whose appeals were lodged in 2018–19 and heard by 2022–23 without verdicts
• The bench pointed out that the same judge reserved all these appeals, questioning compliance with Jharkhand HC Rules that mandate judgments within six weeks of arguments
• Advocate Fauzia Shakil told the apex court that prolonged pendency breaches convicts’ Article 21 right to speedy justice and exacerbates mental anguish for those awaiting execution
• The notice signals the apex court’s intent to consider measures enforcing statutory timelines and bolstering judicial accountability after recurring delays