The Supreme Court has expressed strong disapproval of the Allahabad High Court's repeated adjournment of bail pleas, particularly in cases concerning personal liberty. This criticism came to light during the hearing of Ramnath Mishra's bail plea, who had been in custody for over three and a half years in connection with multiple CBI cases. The apex court noted that Mishra's plea had been adjourned 43 times.
Taking a firm stance, a bench of Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justice N V Anjaria granted bail to Ramnath Mishra on August 25, ordering his release provided he is not wanted in any other case. The Supreme Court's decision underscores its concern over the High Court's handling of bail matters and its tendency to adjourn cases involving personal liberty.
The Supreme Court emphasized its disapproval of the High Court's repeated adjournments in matters concerning a citizen's personal liberty. The court reiterated that matters related to personal liberty should be addressed with utmost speed. The fact that Mishra had been in jail for over three and a half years, including time served in a connected matter, was a significant factor in the Supreme Court's decision to grant him bail.
Senior advocate Yashraj Singh Deora, representing Mishra, pointed out that a co-accused had been granted similar relief by the Supreme Court in May after the High Court had deferred the hearing on 27 occasions. Additional Solicitor General S D Sanjay opposed Mishra's plea, arguing that granting bail while the matter was still pending before the High Court would set a wrong precedent. The Supreme Court rejected this objection, stating that the petitioner's prolonged incarceration and the repeated adjournments left them with no alternative but to intervene.
This is not the first time the Supreme Court has criticized the Allahabad High Court for excessive delays in bail matters. In May 2025, the Supreme Court took strong exception to the Allahabad High Court deferring a bail plea "27 times". The court stated that such delays should not occur in matters of personal liberty. The Supreme Court was hearing the bail plea of Lakshya Tawar, who had been accused in a cheating case under investigation by the CBI. The Supreme Court bench questioned how the High Court could adjourn a bail hearing 27 times in a matter related to personal liberty and highlighted that unnecessary delays in hearing bail applications defeat the very purpose of justice.
