Allahabad High Court
RAMJI GUPTAversusSTATE OF U.P. AND 5 OTHERS
- Decided
- Bench
- AJAY KUMAR II
Holding
The High Court refused to impose a time‑bound disposal schedule because the applicant did not demonstrate any exceptional circumstances.
Summary
The applicant, Ramji Gupta, filed an application under Section 529 of the BNSS seeking a High Court direction that the trial court expedite two pending Sessions Trials (Nos. 577/2024 and 576/2024) involving offences under Sections 147, 323, 504, 506, 308 and 304 IPC. The State opposed, and the Court examined whether a time‑bound schedule could be imposed absent extraordinary circumstances. Citing the Supreme Court’s observations in Shaikh Uzma Feroz Hussain v. State of Maharashtra and High Court Bar Association, Allahabad v. State of U.P., the Court held that constitutional courts should not normally fix such schedules unless exceptional facts exist. The applicant failed to demonstrate any such circumstance, so the request for a time‑bound direction was refused. However, the Court granted the applicant liberty to move a fresh application before the trial court for expeditious disposal, which the trial court must decide within six weeks if filed. The judgment also reiterated compliance with Section 309 Cr.P.C. regarding adjournments and witness examination.
Issues considered
- Whether a High Court can direct a lower trial court to dispose of pending criminal cases within a stipulated time‑bound schedule.
- Whether the applicant has shown any exceptional or extraordinary circumstances justifying such a direction.
Legislation cited
- BNSS Act — s. 529
- Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 — s. 309, 346
Subjects
- time‑bound disposal
- criminal trial expeditious disposal
- Section 309 CrPC
- exceptional circumstances
- court pendency
- adjournment
- high court direction
Judgment
HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT ALLAHABAD
APPLICATION U/S 529 BNSS No. - 4236 of 2026
Ramji Gupta
.....Applicant(s)
Versus
State Of U.P. And 5 Others
.....Opposite
Party(s)
Counsel for Applicant(s) : Mohan Tiwari
Counsel for Opposite Party(s) : G.A.
Court No. - 78
HON'BLE DR. AJAY KUMAR-II, J.
1. Heard learned counsel for the applicant, learned A.G.A. for State and
perused material on record.
2. The present application has been filed by the applicant with prayer to
direct the learned trial Court to decide/expedite the Sessions Trial No. 577
of 2024 (State vs. Akash Gupta and others) and Session Trial No. 576 of
2024 (State vs. Nirmala Devi) arising out of Case Crime No. 152 of 2024,
under Sections147, 323, 504, 506, 308, 304 IPC, P.S. Khampur, District
Deoria, pending before Additional Sessions Judge, Court No. 1, Deoria
within stipulated period.
3. Learned counsel for the applicant submits that the proceedings before
the court concerned be directed to be concluded in a time bound manner.
It is submitted by learned counsel for the applicant that matter pertains to
the year 2024, which is still pending and has not been decided till now.
Therefore, he requested that a direction to learned trial Court be issued to
decide the aforesaid case within a stipulated period of time.
4. Learned A.G.A. has no objection in this regard if the Court below is not
already overloaded with huge pendency of such cases.
5. Hon’ble Apex Court in Shaikh Uzma Feroz Hussain vs. State of
Maharashtra in Writ Petition (Criminal) No. 587 of 2023 has observed
that every High Court and every Court in the country has a huge
pendency, the constitutional Court should avoid temptation of fixing a
time bound schedule for disposal of any case before any Court unless the
situation is extra ordinary.
6. Hon’ble Apex Court in High Court Bar Association, Allahabad vs.
NA529 No. 4236 of 2026
2
State of U.P. and others, (2024) 6 SCC 267 has observed in paragraph
42, which is reproduced as under:-
“Constitutional Courts should not normally fix a time-bound schedule for disposal of
cases pending in any Court. The pattern of pendency of various categories of cases
pending in every Court, including High Courts, is different. The situation at the
grassroots level is better known to the judges of the concerned Courts. Therefore,
the issue of giving out-of- turn priority to certain cases should be best left to the
concerned Courts. The orders fixing the outer limit for the disposal of cases should be
passed only in exceptional circumstances to meet extraordinary situations.”
7. Thus, law as far as issuance of a direction for time bound/expeditious
disposal has already been well settled that only when an exceptional
circumstance is made out, a direction for time-bound/ expeditious
disposal of such a case can be issued, not otherwise.
8. Learned counsel for the applicant has failed to make out any
exceptional circumstances to issue direction for time-bound/expeditious
disposal of case, at this stage. Accordingly, relief sought by way of
present application is hereby refused.
9. Considering the nature of prayer made by counsel for the applicant, the
interest of justice would be served, in the event, the applicant applies
before the court concerned for expeditious disposal of the above
mentioned case. Therefore, applicant is given a liberty to move an
appropriate application before trial Court concerned for bringing out all
such fact, which are necessary for expeditious disposal of his case within
two weeks from today, and in case such an application is moved, the trial
Court shall decide the same within six weeks from the date of filing of
such application. If trial Court comes to conclusion that the case for
expeditious disposal is made out then in that eventuality it shall decide the
same as expeditiously as possible within a reasonable period.
10. However, looking into the peculiar facts and circumstances of the
present case, it is expected from the learned trial Court to conduct the
pending proceedings before it strictly in accordance with Section 309
Cr.P.C./ Section 346 BNSS, as well as in the light of various binding
directions issued by Hon’ble Apex Court from time to time regarding
compliance of aforesaid section. This Court would also like to draw the
attention of learned trial Court qua Explanation 2, which is reproduced
herein-below:
“Explanation 2. – The terms on which an adjournment or postponement
NA529 No. 4236 of 2026
3
may be granted include, in appropriate cases, the payment of costs by the
prosecution or the accused.”
11. A perusal of certified copy of the order-sheet reveals that for the last
several dates, cross examination in part is being recorded by concerned
Court of the applicant/ informant and till date his cross examination has
yet not been concluded. This Court would like to draw attention of the
Court concerned towards proviso 2 of Sub Section 2 of Section 309
Cr.P.C. which provides that when witnesses are in attendance, no
adjournment or postponement shall be granted without examining them,
except for special reasons to be recorded. However, no special reason has
been recorded by Court concerned, therefore, it is expected that the Court
concerned shall ensure compliance of Section 309 Cr.P.C. in future
proceedings.
12. The present application is accordingly disposed of with the aforesaid
observation.
(Dr. Ajay Kumar-II,J.)
September 11, 2026
Dhirendra/
Digitally signed by :-
DHIRENDRA KUMAR
High Court of Judicature at Allahabad
Checking your session…