The Supreme Court on Wednesday said that denial of the hearing of a bail request by courts violates the rights of the accused. It added that urgent cases involving personal liberty should be taken up for hearing without any delay.
The top court said not listing an application for a regular bail "impinges upon the liberty of the person in custody".
The Supreme Court made these observations while hearing a plea by an industrialist, whose bail plea was pending in the Punjab and Haryana High court since February 2020. He approached the Supreme Court after the high court rejected his request for an early hearing.
The Supreme Court said under the current circumstances of the pandemic, at least half of the judges should sit on alternative days "so that hearing is accorded to the person in distress."