Supreme Court mulls 24x7 emergency protocol to protect life, liberty

📌 Summary:

• The Supreme Court agreed to consider framing a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) letting citizens approach courts at any time, day or night, in matters affecting life and liberty
• Covers illegal detentions, imminent home demolitions, deportations, custodial violence and other urgent state actions
• A three-judge Bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant heard a petition by advocate Maheravish Rein
• The petition cited credible reports of late-night arrests, early-morning demolition drives, and deportations/executive actions on weekends and holidays when courts are shut
• Objective: a 24x7 emergency judicial mechanism to uphold Article 21 (protection of life and personal liberty)

🎯 UPSC Relevance: GS2 Polity — the judiciary as guardian of fundamental rights, access to justice, and checks on arbitrary executive action

📝 Prelims Facts:

• Bench headed by CJI Surya Kant
• Concerns Article 21 (protection of life and personal liberty)
• SOP = Standard Operating Procedure

🔑 Key Term: Article 21 — guarantees that no person shall be deprived of life or personal liberty except by procedure established by law.