Supreme Court Stresses Fair Bail Practices

The Supreme Court upheld that imposing excessive conditions on bail is counterproductive, as it undermines the relief granted. The court emphasized the importance of balancing bail conditions with the fundamental rights of individuals. This verdict comes in response to a petitioner facing difficulties in furnishing multiple sureties across several states.

The Supreme Court declared on Thursday that imposing excessive conditions on bail effectively nullifies the relief. The court highlighted the inconsistency of granting bail while simultaneously setting onerous requirements, stating that such practices infringe upon fundamental rights.

Delivered by Justices B R Gavai and K V Viswanathan, the verdict addresses a plea from a petitioner entangled in 13 FIRs across multiple states for offenses including cheating. The petitioner had complied with bail conditions in two cases but struggled to meet the conditions in the remaining ones.

The court recognized that the petitioner faced genuine difficulties in arranging separate sureties for each case. Emphasizing the need to balance the necessity of ensuring presence with fundamental rights under Article 21 of the Constitution, the bench proposed a unified bail scheme. For each FIR pending in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Punjab, and Uttarakhand, the petitioner will furnish a personal bond and execute sureties valid across all FIRs within each state.