What happened
The Supreme Court has said it is open to examining a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for urgent mentions in cases involving life and liberty, including at night and on holidays. A three-judge Bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant heard a submission by advocate Maheravish Rein that courts should not remain inaccessible when immediate constitutional protection is needed.
The submission referred to situations such as late-night arrests, early-morning demolition drives, deportations, custodial violence, illegal detention, and other executive action that may cause irreversible harm before a person can approach a constitutional court during normal hours.
What the Supreme Court is considering
The Bench discussed the possibility of an initial court response within a short, specified timeframe, with about an hour mentioned during the hearing. The Solicitor-General supported the idea of an SOP, but suggested that it should be framed through the Supreme Court’s administrative side rather than through a judicial order.
A judge also observed that electronic filing, email, digital records, and virtual hearings mean courts are no longer completely closed after office hours. The petitioner’s side argued that a uniform emergency-access framework is still missing for people facing urgent violations of liberty or fundamental rights.
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