It is quite often that judgements by benches including Division and larger ones at Supreme Court are kept reserved for several months. System should be that various benches of Supreme Court may compulsorily announce judgements in a time-bound period of say within three months after last date of hearing or before retirement of any bench-member having heard the case. Delayed judgements after competition of hearing add fuel to fire of notorious aspect -Justice Delayed is Justice Denied. At times, such delayed judgements result in costly and time-consuming re-hearings in case any of the bench-member retires from the post. Supreme Court website must have a link providing list of reserved judgements clearly mentioning last date of proceedings in the case. Since supreme Court has several long vacations every year like summer-vacation and holidays like on New Year, Holi, Dussehra, Diwali etc, healthy tradition may be that all reserved verdicts prior to long breaks may be announced on very first Mondays after such long holidays.
Time has come when judges are also made accountable in justice-delivery-system for delayed judgements after completion of hearing. Delay breeds in corrupt practices also when infamous NEET verdict announced on 18.0-7.2013 appeared on social media much before it was announced in Supreme Court. Judges must make public complete reasons for recusal from cases because they are paid from public-exchequer for performing duty to decide cases rather for unreasoned recusal from cases.
SUBHASH CHANDRA AGRAWAL