Imtiyaz Ahmad vs State Of U.P.& Ors

The Supreme Court addressed the issue of prolonged delays in criminal proceedings, emphasizing the impact on the rule of law and access to justice under Article 21 of the Constitution. The Court noted that a significant percentage of cases have been pending for over ten years due to stays on proceedings, particularly at the charge-sheet stage. It highlighted the need for judicial reforms, referencing multiple Law Commission reports that identified inadequate judge strength as a primary cause of delays in the judicial system.