‘Tarikh pe tarikh not judge’s fault alone’: Allahabad High Court orders AI, forensic overhaul to end criminal trial delays
Referring to a dialogue from the 1993 film Damini, the Allahabad High Court said the UP government must consider making Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) an autonomous department.
The court identified multiple causes behind the pendency, including delay in execution of court processes, non-appearance of witnesses, lack of judicial infrastructure, etc. (Image generated using AI) Allahabad High Court news: Referring to the iconic “Tarikh pe Tarikh” dialogue from the film Damini, the Allahabad High Court has observed that delays in the criminal justice system cannot be attributed to judicial officers alone, but are also a consequence of inadequate infrastructure, shortage of staff, and lack of effective police cooperation, while issuing a series of directions to the Uttar Pradesh government and police authorities to streamline the system.
Justice Arun Kumar Singh Deshwal observed that a judicial officer cannot decide cases without sufficient staff and the cooperation of the police to ensure the presence of the accused, witnesses and a proper forensic science laboratory report.
Justice Arun Kumar Singh Deshwal also expressed concern over the security of judicial officers.
“A filmy dialogue from the film ‘Damini’ released in the year 1993 that ‘Tarikh pe tarikh, tarikh pe tarikh milti rahi hai…lekin insaf nahi mila My Lord, insaf nahi mila ! mili hai to sirf tarikh.’ This dialogue became very popular because it was the perception of a common man, but the reason for it, of course, is not the judicial officer alone,” the Allahabad High Court noted in its order dated May 7.
Allahabad High Court directions
In a bid to address the delays and pendency in the criminal justice delivery system, the Allahabad High Court passed a slew of directions:
- State government to consider the issue of providing additional staff and infrastructure to district courts, considering the heavy workload of cases.
- State government to consider making the Uttar Pradesh Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) an autonomous department under its Home Ministry, as requested by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), through different communications.
- The state government shall make every effort to fill up vacancies in forensic science laboratories of UP, along with providing high-end instruments within one year.
- The state government/police department will ensure training to police officers for the collection of forensic evidence.
- State government shall also consider the feasibility of providing personal security officers to all district court judges alike in Punjab and Haryana.
- The Director General of Police (DGP), UP, shall issue directions to all district police chiefs, including the commissioner of police, to attend the monthly monitoring cell meeting under the chairmanship of the concerned district judge personally.
- The DGP shall issue directions to all investigating officers to make a query from FSLs regarding the matching of the DNA of blood found on the blood-stained weapon and cloth with the DNA of the accused and deceased, while sending the blood samples to FSLs.
- DGP to issue necessary directions to all the police officers involved in the investigation to record the verified email, messaging applications (WhatsApp, Telegram, and Facebook Messenger, etc) and the mobile number of the accused and witnesses during the investigation and shall mention these verified details in the chargesheet apart from entering in Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS) as per Rule 8 of E-processes Rules, 2026.
- Police to implement speech-to-text AI module to record the statements of witnesses.
- DGP shall also consider issuing a circular to all police officers, mentioning therein that negligence in the execution of court processes may attract disciplinary proceedings.
- Judicial officers are also directed to send e-summons, e-warrants and other court processes as per Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) Rules, 2024, as well as e-processes Rules, 2026 and also use e-FIR and e-chargesheet as per mandates of BNSS, 2023.
Delays and pendency of criminal cases
The Allahabad High Court passed these directions while deciding a bail application, wherein it noted that despite a blood-stained screwdriver being sent for forensic examination in the present case, investigators failed to seek DNA matching to determine whether the blood belonged to the deceased.
The director of FSL informed the court that forensic laboratories in Uttar Pradesh were facing acute shortages of staff and modern equipment, and that only eight out of 12 FSLs in the state currently have DNA profiling facilities.
The DGP informed the Allahabad High Court that directions would be issued to investigating officers to seek DNA matching reports while sending blood samples to FSLs. He also stated that police were planning to introduce speech-to-text AI modules for recording witness statements.
After examining feedback from several district courts, the court identified multiple causes behind the pendency of criminal cases, including a shortage of ministerial staff, delay in execution of court processes, non-appearance of witnesses, lack of judicial infrastructure, delay in forensic reports, repeated adjournments and poor coordination between police, prosecution and judiciary.
The Allahabad High Court further expressed concern over the security of judicial officers and observed that, except for the district judge, first additional district judges and chief judicial magistrates, most judicial officers in Uttar Pradesh are not provided personal security. The Allahabad High Court, therefore, issued the aforesaid directions.
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