'Bail rule, jail exception' principle forgotten in recent past, says CJI Gavai
NEW DELHI: Chief Justice of India B R Gavai lamented that in the recent past, the principle of "bail is the rule, and jail is the exception" has been forgotten. Though judicial pronouncements over the decades have integrated this norm, it has not been implemented in true spirit in recent years, he said.
Delivering the Justice V R Krishna Iyer Memorial Law Lecture in Kochi on Sunday, the CJI said he tried to reestablish the principle while granting bail in various cases, paving the way for high courts and lower courts to follow suit.
"I am happy to state that I had the opportunity in the last year, 2024, to reiterate this legal principle in the cases of Prabir Purkayastha, Manish Sisodia, and Kavita vs ED," Justice Gavai said.
Justice Iyer's contribution was immense in protecting the rights of marginalised communities, he said.
The SC in recent years passed a series of orders to protect the rights of undertrial prisoners and held that delay in trial and long incarceration were grounds to grant bail even in serious offences under the PMLA and the UAPA, A, despite stringent bail conditions under the special laws. It opened the gate for bail to accused in money launder- ing and unlawful activities cases.
The CJI also recalled Justice Iyer's strong opposition to undertrials being kept in jail for long periods without trial. In an important ruling in Aug last year, SC had held that the conventional idea of 'bail is the rule, jail is an exception' should be applicable not only to IPC offences but also to other offences for which special statutes have been enacted, such as UAPA, if the conditions prescribed under that law are fulfilled.
SC in its various orders had appealed to HCs and lower courts to be liberal in granting bail and asked them not to hesitate in granting the relief in serious offences also if a case is made out for bail.
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