Reviving the Tradition: Day-to-Day Trials for Speedier Justice

The Supreme Court has urged a return to the once-standard practice of conducting trials on a day-to-day basis, particularly in high-stakes or sensitive cases. Highlighting the fundamental right to a speedy trial under Article 21 of the Constitution, the court emphasized the need for efficiency in the judicial process.

Justices J B Pardiwala and K V Viswanathan observed that non-continuous trials contribute significantly to delays, with evidence often heard sporadically, dragging cases over months or years. The bench stressed the necessity for high courts to assemble committees to scrutinize the issue seriously, benefiting district judiciaries.

In a decisive move, the court criticized the current judicial trend of granting adjournments on negligible grounds and insisted on uninterrupted witness examination. The court aims for trial proceedings to be completed timely and expects the judiciary to implement stricter guidelines to address these systemic delays effectively.

(With inputs from agencies.)