Supreme Court Calls for Prioritizing Old-Age Conviction Appeals

The Supreme Court suggests that the old age of accused individuals and the time elapsed since the offense are valid reasons to prioritize convict appeals for those on bail. Acknowledging the backlog of criminal appeals, it emphasizes a focus on older cases to balance the justice system effectively.

The Supreme Court has recommended prioritizing appeals against convictions for individuals on bail due to their old age and significant time since the offense, highlighting a need to address the backlog of criminal appeals in high courts.

A bench of Justices Abhay S Oka, Ahsanuddin Amanullah, and Augustine George Masih emphasized the importance of hearing older cases where the accused are on bail, recognizing that they often fall behind in the judicial process.

The court's judgment, following an appeal from the state of Madhya Pradesh, noted that numerous pending cases date back decades. It pointed out the unique challenges of dealing with older accused individuals, urging a more balanced approach in the justice system.

(With inputs from agencies.)