The Supreme Court on Thursday emphasized that courts should not delay matters concerning individual liberty for long periods. The observation came as a bench of Justices B R Gavai and Augustine George Masih expressed concern over a Punjab and Haryana High Court decision to schedule a hearing for temporary bail after two months.

The matter before the apex court involved a plea for temporary bail on medical grounds. The petitioner’s counsel argued that his client sought bail to facilitate urgent surgery for his two-year-old daughter. However, the high court, in an order dated February 21, scheduled the hearing for April 22.

“In matters of liberty, the courts are not expected to keep the matter at such a long date,” the Supreme Court bench remarked, allowing the petitioner to request an earlier hearing before the high court.

The top court also directed the high court to expedite the matter and hear the petitioner’s plea for temporary bail at the earliest, given the urgent medical condition of the child.

The petitioner’s counsel informed the court that a request for advancing the hearing had already been submitted to the high court, but it was dismissed. In response, Justice Gavai remarked, “Now, with this observation, do you think that the high court will reject it?”

The bench further noted that issuing a notice in the matter might lead to further delays, as the respondent would then seek time to respond. Instead, it urged the high court to prioritize the case and take it up expeditiously.

“We expect the high courts to at least give some weightage to our request,” Justice Gavai added, emphasizing the need for a swift resolution in cases related to personal liberty.

The petitioner initially sought interim bail before the high court, but the case was linked with the main petition and scheduled for hearing in April. The Supreme Court’s intervention now paves the way for a potential advancement of the hearing date, ensuring urgent matters related to personal liberty are addressed promptly.

March 2025: A man from a small group of protesters chanting pro-Khalistan slogans outside Chatham House attempted to breach the security perimeter as External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar exited the think tank in London. The incident has drawn strong condemnation from India, calling out the “provocative activities” of what it described as a “small group of separatists and extremists.”

The demonstrators, waving separatist flags, were confined behind barricades and monitored by a significant police presence outside the venue. The situation escalated when one protester suddenly rushed past the barricades in an attempt to block the minister’s vehicle while pulling at an Indian flag attached to it. Metropolitan Police officers acted swiftly to restrain the individual, preventing further escalation. No arrests have been reported so far.

India’s Strong Condemnation

Community organization INSIGHT UK condemned the incident, stating, “It is shameful that this attack comes when Dr. S. Jaishankar is on a UK tour and had just completed a successful meeting with UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy, where they discussed bilateral ties.” The organization also shared footage of the incident on social media, highlighting the breach.

In response, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in New Delhi issued a strong statement condemning the security lapse and urging the UK government to uphold its diplomatic responsibilities. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated, “We have seen the footage of a breach of security during the visit of the External Affairs Minister to the UK. We condemn the provocative activities of this small group of separatists and extremists. We deplore the misuse of democratic freedoms by such elements. We expect the host government in such cases to fully live up to their diplomatic obligations.”

Jaishankar’s Address at Chatham House

Earlier in the day, during his session at Chatham House, Jaishankar was questioned about human rights concerns in India. Responding to the inquiry, he remarked, “A lot of this is political. We have been, for political reasons, at the receiving end of various expressions and campaigns on human rights. We listen to it. We are not perfect, nobody is perfect. There can be situations which require redressal and remedy.”

Jaishankar further defended India’s human rights record, stating, “I would argue that, if one looks around the world, we have a very strong human rights record. As a credible democracy, where people have growing faith in our institutions and representation has broadened in every conceivable way over the last many decades, where the state has been fair in the treatment of its citizens, I think any sweeping concern on human rights is misplaced. I don’t see any justification for it at all.”

The UK authorities have yet to release an official statement on the security incident. However, given the diplomatic tensions surrounding pro-Khalistan activities, the matter is expected to remain under close scrutiny.