SC Orders HCs to Record Key Dates to Curb Judgment Delays

Supreme Court Cracks Down on Judgment Delays: High Courts Must Record Key Dates

New Format to Track When Judgments Are Reserved, Pronounced, and Uploaded

SC Warns of Performance Review for Judges Who Delay Verdicts

By Our Legal Reporter

New Delhi: September 25, 2025: In a major step to improve transparency and speed in the Indian judicial system, the Supreme Court of India has directed all High Courts to clearly mention three critical dates in every judgment: the date when the judgment is reserved, the date it is pronounced, and the date it is uploaded on the court’s website. This move aims to reduce long delays that often frustrate litigants and slow down justice delivery.

The directive was issued by a bench of Justice Surya Kant and Justice N. Kotiswar Singh while hearing a writ petition filed by death row inmates from Jharkhand. The petitioners complained that judgments in their cases were not delivered even years after arguments had concluded.

Why This Matters: Delays Hurt Justice

The Supreme Court’s order comes in response to growing concerns about delays in pronouncing and publishing judgments. In many cases, judges reserve their verdicts after hearing arguments but take months—or even years—to deliver the final decision. Worse, even after pronouncing the operative part of the judgment, the detailed reasoning is often not uploaded online for weeks.

This lack of clarity and delay can have serious consequences. Litigants are left in limbo, lawyers cannot advise their clients properly, and the public loses trust in the judicial system. The Supreme Court has now made it clear: such delays are unacceptable.

The Case That Sparked Reform

The landmark order was passed in the case of Pila Pahan @ Peela Pahan & Ors. vs. The State of Jharkhand & Anr., where the petitioners had been waiting for years for the final judgment. The Supreme Court had earlier asked all High Courts to submit data on pending judgments, including the dates they were reserved and uploaded.

Amicus curiae Ms. Fauzia Shakil, appointed to assist the court, submitted a detailed report showing inconsistencies in how different High Courts handle judgment dates. Some courts failed to provide complete data, while others sent information in formats that were hard to analyze. Eleven High Courts did not even mention the date of reserving the judgment in cases where the verdict had already been pronounced.

Supreme Court’s Directives to High Courts

To fix this problem, the Supreme Court has now issued a binding directive:

“All High Courts are directed to suitably modify their existing practice or formats to ensure that (i) the date when the judgment is reserved; (ii) the date when the judgment is pronounced; and (iii) the date when the judgment is uploaded on the website are clearly mentioned in the uploaded/certified copy of judgment.”

Additionally, the court ordered that judgments must specify whether only the operative part was pronounced or if the full judgment was delivered. This will help track cases where the reasoning is delayed even after the verdict is announced.

A Push for Uniformity and Accountability

To make the process smoother, the Supreme Court asked the amicus curiae to prepare a uniform format for collecting and presenting judgment data. If High Courts have already submitted information in a compatible format, it will be collated. If not, they must provide updated data within four weeks.

The court also allowed Ms. Shakil to take help from two junior women lawyers from the Supreme Court Bar, who will be appointed as legal aid counsels. This team will assist in analyzing the data and preparing a comprehensive report.

Performance Review of Judges?

In a related development, the Supreme Court hinted that it may consider evaluating the performance of High Court judges based on how quickly they deliver judgments. While the court clarified that it does not want to “act as the principal of a school,” it emphasized the need for guidelines to ensure timely verdicts.

“There are some judges who work day and night and dispose of cases in an outstanding manner. But there are other judges who, for some reason good or bad, are unable to deliver,” the bench observed.

The court acknowledged that different types of cases require different timelines. For example, bail pleas may be decided quickly, while appeals involving complex evidence may take longer. However, the need for transparency and accountability remains the same.

Five-Day Rule for Uploading Judgments

The Supreme Court also reinforced its earlier ruling in Ratilal Jhaverbhai Parmar vs. State of Gujarat, where it had held that reasoned judgments must be uploaded within five days of pronouncing the operative part. The court stated that this rule must be followed unless it is officially changed.

However, the bench showed flexibility by saying it may consider extending the deadline to ten or fifteen days if High Courts face genuine difficulties. The matter will be reviewed again on November 10, 2025.

What This Means for Litigants and Lawyers

This directive is a welcome move for litigants, lawyers, and legal scholars who have long complained about delays in the judicial process. By mandating clear timelines and formats, the Supreme Court is pushing for a more efficient and transparent system.

Lawyers will now be able to track the progress of cases more accurately. Litigants will have a clearer idea of when to expect judgments. And the public will gain more confidence in the judiciary.

Conclusion: A Step Toward Speedy Justice

The Supreme Court’s order is a bold step toward fixing one of the most persistent problems in India’s legal system—delayed judgments. By enforcing timelines and demanding transparency, the apex court is sending a strong message: justice delayed is justice denied.

If implemented properly, this reform could significantly improve the efficiency of High Courts and restore faith in the judicial process. The legal community and the public will be watching closely as the November 10 deadline approaches.