Judicial discretion in managing trial timelines should avoid fixed schedules unless exceptional circumstances justify such measures.

O R D E R

This Criminal Original Petition has been filed to direct the learned Metropolitan Magistrate, Fast Track Court No.III, Saidapet, Chennai to expedite the trial and dispose of the case in C.C.No.4739 of 2021, within a stipulated period that may be fixed by this Court.

2. It would be appropriate to note that since thousands of cases are pending in the Courts and the litigants are awaiting in a long queue, the Hon'ble Supreme Court in the case of Sangram Sadashiv Suryavanshi Vs. The State of Maharashtra in Criminal Appeal No.4758 of 2024 dated

25.11.2024 has observed that the High Courts are fixing time-bound schedule for conclusion of trial in a routine manner, despite the decision of the Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court in the case of High Court Bar Association, Allahabad vs. State of Uttar Pradesh reported in (2024) 6 SCC

267, which reads as under:

"47.3. constitutional courts, in the ordinary course, should refrain from fixing a time-bound schedule for the disposal of cases pending before any other courts. Constitutional courts may issue directions for the time-bound disposal of cases only in exceptional circumstances. The issue of prioritising the disposal of cases should be best left to the decision of the courts concerned where the cases are pending."

3. In view of the above decision of the Hon'ble Supreme Court, this Court is not inclined to fix any specific time limit to expedite the trial.

However, the trial Court is directed to complete the trial as early as possible as per roaster.

4. Accordingly, this Criminal Original Petition is dismissed.