INTRODUCTION
In the process of fortifying access to justice, India’s Supreme Court has held that the appeal is not an ordinary statutory right but a fundamental constitutional right. This ruling disproportionately changed the landscape of Indian jurisprudence by transforming appeal from a mere statutory right to a constitutional safeguard. Thus, it provided greater home for the procedural aspects of fair trial and due process guaranteed under Article 21 of the Indian Constitution.
BACKGROUND
The problem arose in a criminal matter where the petitioner challenged the denial of an appeal after conviction. It called attention to gaps in the criminal justice system, particularly for individuals whose convictions were upheld by appellate courts without providing adequate means of challenging or defending themselves further.
The petitioner alleged that absence of an appellate remedy violated the basic principles of natural justice and further disadvantaged the underprivileged litigant. The party went on to establish that the Supreme Court considers the existence of a right to appeal as being read into the broader right to life and personal liberty.
KEY POINTS
Right to Appeal As an Integral Aspect of Fair Trial: The Court held that the right to appeal is an essential component of the machinery of justice and is constitutionally guaranteed under Article 21. By reading the provision of appeal into the life-liberty guarantee, the Court emphasized that judicial review and remedy cannot be arbitrarily denied.
Access and Equality Under Law: This judgment made it explicit that marginalized sections of society, if not otherwise simply discriminated, are the ones who suffer most from procedural barriers. Having access to appeal is to avoid miscarriage of justice and take the law a step closer to equity and fairness.
Now about Strengthening the Doctrine of Due Process: The ruling also stated that India was slowly but surely moving toward the concept of substantive due process; hence, the judgment made it very explicit that procedural fairness cannot be fair only in theory. The judgment also uses the right to appeal as a measure of judicial accountability and transparency.
Judicial Outlook: Reform Oriented: The Court emphasized the significance of legislative action to establish an appeal mechanism in all parts of the judiciary to provide uniformity and safeguards against arbitrary conviction and sentence.
RECENT DEVELOPMENTS
In a Decision on the Supreme Court dated June 5, 2025, the three member bench of judges referred to meaningfully appeal as essential in a modern democracy operating under a rule of law. The Bench ordered all High Courts and subordinate courts to ensure that appellants are not deprived of their ability to appeal orders of conviction because of strictures regarding procedure or a gap in the law.
In a powerful observation, the Court said:
“The essence of justice lies not merely in the decision rendered, but in the opportunity given to be heard, to question, and to rectify errors that may arise—intentionally or otherwise. Appeal is the soul of corrective justice.”
CONCLUSION
This landmark judgement from the Supreme Court brings about a watershed change in the jurisprudential context of appeals in the Indian legal system. By embedding the right to an appeal in the Indian Constitution, the judiciary has fortified the aspect of access to justice and due process. It’s now up to legislatures and the judicial system to maintain this right in practice. We can expect that this judgement will prove to be far reaching in criminal, civil and administrative cases, paving the way for a more just and equitable legal system.
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WRITTEN BY HARINI S
