Abdul Jabar Butt v. State of Jammu and Kashmir
Preventive Detention – Legality – Time prescribed for communicating grounds of detention to the detenue – 'As soon as may be', Meaning of
Case brief
What is this about?
Supreme Court held that under the Jammu and Kashmir Preventive Detention Act, the Government must make a declaration under the proviso to section 8(1) before the expiry of the time prescribed by 'as soon as may be' for communicating grounds of detention. The phrase 'as soon as may be' means within a reasonable time with the understanding to act within the shortest possible time. The Full Bench decision in Hissam-Ud-Din Bandy v. State (AIR 1955 J&K 7) was overruled. Petitioners detained on April 26, 1956, but declarations made only on June 30, 1956, without justification; detention held illegal and petitioners ordered to be released.
What did the court decide?
Both petitions allowed; petitioners directed to be released forthwith. ¶¶102