Supreme Court condemns denial of bail to give accused a ‘taste of imprisonment as a lesson’
GS2Polity · Governance · IR· Judiciary & landmark judgments· Prelims + Mains·
Why in news
The Supreme Court of India condemned the denial of bail to an accused person intended to provide a 'taste of imprisonment as a lesson', reaffirming the presumption of innocence.
Background
The Supreme Court ruled that the presumption of innocence for an undertrial remains constant regardless of the severity of the alleged offense. The court reiterated that bail is a fundamental right and jail should be an exception, not a rule.
Facts for Prelims
- ConstitutionPresumption of innocence: A legal principle where an accused is considered innocent until proven guilty.
- FactBail is the rule and jail is the exception: A judicial principle governing pre-trial detention.
For Mains
Q. Critically examine the tension between the state's power to incarcerate for public safety and the individual's fundamental right to liberty before conviction.
Dimensions to cover in your answer
- Judicial oversight: Balancing the 'bail is the rule' principle against the necessity of preventing flight risks or threats to society.
- Legal safeguards: Ensuring pre-trial incarceration does not become a form of pre-emptive punishment for serious offenses.
Keywords: Presumption of innocence · Right to liberty · Pre-trial detention · Judicial review · Fundamental rights
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This note is generated automatically from SatyaDheesh's news feed and mapped to the UPSC CSE syllabus. Check facts against the original report or PIB before using them in an answer.