SC Reprimands Allahabad HC for Listing Bail Pleas in Same FIR Before Different Benches

The Supreme Court on Monday expressed its disapproval of the Allahabad High Court’s practice of listing bail applications arising from the same criminal complaint before different single judges.

A bench of Justice BR Gavai, Justice CT Ravikumar, and Justice PV Sanjay Kumar, remarked that such a practice leads to anomalous situations.

“In Allahabad High Court, some bail pleas (of same case) are heard by one judge who grants bail and the rest by another who does not. Why is it happening?” Justice Gavai asked.

The concern raised by the Court was duly recorded in its order. Additionally, the bench issued a direction to the Registrar General of the Supreme Court to inform the Allahabad High Court about this order.

“We have come across several Allahabad High Court orders where different judges hear bail pleas arising out of the same FIR. This creates an anomalous situation in as much as some accused are granted bail while others are not,” the order reads.

The Court raised the concern while granting bail to a man accused of armed rioting.

The appeal was filed by Sajid, represented by advocate Ankur Yadav, challenging a December 6 order of the Allahabad High Court that denied his bail application.

In a related matter, the Supreme Court recently criticized an Allahabad High Court bench for issuing self-contradictory orders. The High Court had granted protection to five accused while simultaneously rejecting their anticipatory arrest bail pleas.

Earlier, in May, the apex court also expressed dissatisfaction with the Allahabad High Court. The matter was listed before the same bench that had failed to deliver its verdict in the case within six months of reserving it.