The Supreme Court has issued comprehensive directions to streamline the filing of legal aid appeals and Special Leave Petitions (SLPs), particularly for prisoners and economically disadvantaged litigants.
The bench of Justice Sanjay Karol and Justice Nongmeikapam Kotiswar Singh while dealing with a death penalty appeal, took note of persistent delays in filing appeals through the legal aid mechanism. The delays undermine the constitutional mandate of ensuring equal access to justice and often result in denial of timely remedies to convicts, especially those in custody.
A key highlight of the judgment is the Court’s decision to make the timelines prescribed under the newly framed Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) mandatory and binding. These timelines cover every stage—from pronouncement of judgment to filing of appeals—ensuring accountability across stakeholders such as legal services authorities, jail authorities, and panel lawyers.
The Court emphasized that adherence to these timelines would significantly reduce procedural delays and address structural inefficiencies that hinder timely access to justice.
Recognising the role of technology, the Supreme Court has directed the creation of a unified digital platform to facilitate seamless communication between stakeholders, including the Supreme Court Legal Services Committee (SCLSC), High Court Legal Services Committees (HCLSCs), jail authorities, and legal aid lawyers.
The platform is expected to enable real-time tracking of cases, digital transmission of records, and automated alerts for deadlines, thereby reducing dependency on manual processes that contribute to delays.
The Court endorsed a detailed SOP prepared after extensive consultations with stakeholders. The SOP introduces a structured framework for timely translation and transmission of court records, categorisation of cases based on urgency (including death penalty and long-term imprisonment cases), digitisation and secure sharing of documents, and monitoring and accountability mechanisms
The SOP also mandates strict timelines for translation of key documents such as judgments, FIRs, witness statements, and expert reports, which are often a major cause of delay in filing appeals.
The Court examined data placed on record by the SCLSC and identified multiple reasons for delay, including: late submission of applications by prisoners; incomplete documentation, delays by panel advocates in filing petitions, time taken in translation of vernacular records, and lack of real-time communication between stakeholders.
It noted that despite adequate infrastructure, coordination gaps and procedural inefficiencies continue to delay justice delivery.
To ensure effective implementation, the Court has directed the constitution of Monitoring Committees at both Supreme Court and High Court levels. These committees will periodically review progress, track delays, and recommend corrective measures.
Further, a mandatory delay-explanation format has been introduced, requiring authorities to disclose the timeline of each stage in filing appeals. This is expected to bring transparency and fix responsibility for delays.
The Supreme Court has directed all High Courts to consider and adopt the SOP on the administrative side and make necessary procedural changes. It has also mandated: immediate implementation of coordination mechanisms with jail authorities, incorporation of delay-tracking formats in all legal aid appeals, and submission of compliance reports by all stakeholders by April 30, 2026
The matter is scheduled for further consideration in May 2026 to review compliance.
Case Details
Case Title: Shankar Mahto Versus State Of Bihar
Citation: JURISHOUR-806-SC-2026
Case No.: Crl.MP. 7862 of 2017
Date: 16/04/2026
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