30th May 2023
Editorials
Context: In the recent case of Ritu Chhabria v. Union of India, a Division Bench of the Supreme Court upheld the ability of an under trial to be freed on default bail in the event that the inquiry is still on-going and takes longer than is allowed by law.
An extraordinary decision
- New directions: CJI entertained a recall application and directed courts to decide bail applications without relying on the decision laid down in Ritu Chhabria case.
- No scope of CJI review: The CJI could only intervene if another Coordinate Bench had taken up the same matter in a separate case, disagreed with Ritu Chhabria's position, and forwarded the case to the CJI for recommendation to a bigger Bench.
- Devoid of Constitutional backing: By allowing an intra-court appeal to be heard by the Supreme Court as an extra means of challenging an order made by a Bench without the CJI.