Supreme Court Urges All High Courts To Upload Reasoned Judgments Within 15 Days From Pronouncement Of Operative Part Of Judgment

The Supreme Court, while revising its earlier order, urges all the High Court to upload the reasoned judgments, in cases where only the operative parts of the Judgment was pronounced, within the ten or fifteen days(maximum).

The Apex Court was hearing Writ Petitions filed by convicted persons, complaining that the judgments were not being pronounced, delivered, or issued in the cases, including their own, despite the fact that arguments had taken place years back.

The Bench of Justice Surya Kant and Justice N. Kotiswar Singh observed, “In respect of the judgments where only the operative part has been pronounced and the reasoned judgment is yet to be issued, we may emphasis that this Court, in Ratilal Jhaverbhai Parmar and ors. vs. State of Gujarat and ors., C.A. No.11000/2024, decided on 21.10.2024, has taken a view that the reasons ought to be uploaded within five days of the pronouncement of the operative part. The High Courts, therefore, are bound to follow the said dictum unless, on account of some practical difficulties that the High Courts might experience, this Court deems it appropriate to revise the timeline from five days to ten or fifteen days (maximum).”

Case Brief

The Petitioners were convicted persons and sentenced to life imprisonment by the Trial Court. The Petitioners approached the Jharkhand High Court in appeal.

As per the status reports filed by the Registrar, Jharkhand High Court, there were 56 matters, including some Criminal Appeals, where the Division Bench of the High Court has heard the matters on different dates ranging from 04.01.2022 till 16.12.2024 but the final pronouncements are still awaited.

While hearing the matter, the Supreme Court noted that the Indian Express – a daily newspaper has today reported under the caption “After SC rap, HC decides 75 criminal appeals in a week”, that the Jharkhand High Court has decided 75 Criminal Appeals in a week after the Apex Court sought information.

Consequently, on May 05, 2025, the Supreme Court directed the Registrar General of all the High Courts to submit a Report in respect of those cases where the judgments were reserved on or before 31.01.2025 and where the pronouncement of judgments was still awaited.

AOR Fauzia Shakil, Amicus Curiae, apprised that 11 High Courts have not given dates of reserving judgments, where judgments have already been pronounced.

Court’s Observation

The Bench noted that since the information has been sent by the High Courts in different formats, the amicus has experienced genuine difficulty in collating the reports and then to analyse such reports. Therefore, the Court permitted the assistance of two young women lawyers, who have recently joined the Supreme Court Bar.

Thereafter, the Court said, “Meanwhile, all the 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. The High Court may do the needful within four weeks.”

The Bench also took into account the fact that sometimes, the Hon’ble Judges of the High Courts pronounce only the operative part of the judgment, which was duly reflected in the Case Status on the High Court Website. However, thereafter, the main judgment was either not uploaded or there was an inordinate delay in doing so.

Accordingly, the Court referred to its decision in the case of Ratilal Jhaverbhai Parmar vs. State of Gujarat (2024) and underscored that the Supreme Court had observed that the reasons ought to be uploaded within five days of the pronouncement of the operative part.

“The High Courts, therefore, are bound to follow the said dictum unless, on account of some practical difficulties that the High Courts might experience, this Court deems it appropriate to revise the timeline from five days to ten or fifteen days (maximum)”, the Court observed.

Thereafter, the matter was listed on November 11, 2025.

Cause Title: Pila Pahan@ Peela Pahan & Ors. V. The State of Jharkhand & Anr.

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