India's Supreme Court Considers 24/7 Emergency Judicial Access

The Supreme Court of India is considering the implementation of a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to ensure 24/7 judicial accessibility for urgent cases involving citizens' life and liberty. The initiative follows a petition by advocate Maheravish Rein, who argued that current court schedules leave individuals vulnerable to illegal detentions, custodial violence, and early-morning home demolitions during nights and holidays.

Chief Justice Surya Kant led a three-judge Bench and suggested that the court's response to such urgent mentions could potentially occur within one hour. While Justice Joymalya Bagchi noted that e-filing and digital tools already provide a level of continuous access, the court acknowledged that a formal framework would reduce response times for critical requests.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta proposed that the preparation of the SOP be handled administratively. However, Chief Justice Surya Kant noted that the judicial side may be necessary because the Supreme Court has limited administrative authority over State High Courts within India's federal system.