One bench of High Court cannot cancel bail granted by another: SC

New Delhi, Feb 24: The Supreme Court has held that the exercise of jurisdiction by the Single Judge of the High Court in cancelling the bail granted to the accused by another Single Judge of the same High Court “and that too, by examining the merits of the allegations tantamounts, to judicial impropriety and indiscipline,” said a report in Live Law.

"..We are of the firm opinion that the exercise of jurisdiction by the learned Single Judge of High Court of Madhya Pradesh in cancelling the bail granted to the appellants by another Single Judge of the same High Court and that too, by examining the merits of the allegations was totally uncalled for and tantamounts to judicial impropriety and indiscipline.", the Supreme Court Bench comprising Justices B.R. Gavai and Sandeep Mehta observed.

The Supreme Court has expressed displeasure with the conduct of the Single Judge of the Madhya Pradesh High Court who cancelled the bail as already granted to the accused by another Single Judge of the same High Court. The Court observed that the act of reviewing the orders granting bail to the accused by another Single Judge is uncalled for and amounts to gross impropriety.