New Delhi, 20-03-2024 : The Supreme Court has taken cognizance of the failure of jail officials to implement its bail orders and has issued directives aimed at ensuring prompt compliance.
Addressing concerns over delays in executing bail orders, the Court has introduced measures to facilitate efficient access to these orders through the “FASTER Cell,” a system designed for the rapid and secure transmission of electronic court records. Launched in March 2022 by former Chief Justice of India, N V Ramana, the FASTER software aims to expedite the transmission of court orders electronically to prevent implementation delays. In response to a miscellaneous application filed by advocate Smarhar Singh, highlighting the case of petitioner Laxman Ram, who was not released despite being granted bail in a criminal case on February 5, the Court emphasized the obligation of jail authorities to act on its orders promptly. Despite Ram’s subsequent release before the Court heard the application on February 16, the bench underscored the need to investigate delays in producing the accused before the trial court. In its directive issued on March 4, the Court mandated jail superintendents nationwide to access emails twice daily as per the standard operating procedure outlined by the “FASTER Cell.” This protocol aims to ensure that jail authorities promptly act on bail orders by producing the accused before the respective courts. Central to the “FASTER” project is the electronic forwarding of bail orders, complete with digital signatures and QR codes, to relevant authorities such as nodal officers, district courts, and jail superintendents.
Moreover, to address concerns about the authenticity of orders transmitted via the FASTER Cell, jail officials are encouraged to verify them on the Supreme Court’s website.