Supreme Court mulls 24X7 emergency protocol to protect life, liberty
The Supreme Court of India is considering the creation of a 24/7 emergency protocol to allow citizens to seek judicial intervention outside of standard court hours. The proposal aims to protect fundamental rights in urgent cases like illegal detentions or imminent home demolitions.
Why it matters
This initiative addresses the gap between constitutional guarantees of liberty and the practical limitations of judicial accessibility, potentially transforming how citizens interact with the legal system.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday (July 14, 2026) agreed to consider framing a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to allow citizens to knock on the doors of the courts any time, day or night, in cases affecting life and liberty, including illegal detentions, imminent demolition of homes, deportations, custodial violence or other state actions.
A three-judge Bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant was hearing a petition filed by an apex court advocate, Maheravish Rein, who said the courts cannot afford to close especially in the background of credible reports of late-night arrests, early morning demolition drives and deportation or executive actions undertaken during weekends or holidays.
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