The Supreme Court has taken up a suo motu case to examine controversial bail conditions imposed by the Orissa High Court and some trial courts in Odisha, where accused persons were ordered to clean police stations. The practice has raised serious concerns about dignity and fairness.

Bench to hear today:

A Bench headed by Chief Justice of India(CJI) Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi will hear the matter today.

The Court’s action comes after recent media reports, including a report published by Article 14 last week, which highlighted these bail conditions in cases related to anti-mining protests in the state. (Article -14.com is a legal and public interest journalism platform focussing on justice, equality, and issues in India).

The report said that the accused affected by these orders belonged to Dalit and Adivasi communities.

Specific High Court order cited:

It specifically referred to an Orissa High Court order dated May 28, 2025, which directed one Kumeswar Naik to “clean the premises of the Kashipur Police Station every morning between 6:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. for two months.”

According to the report, eight similar orders were passed between May 2025 and January 2026. Of these, seven were passed by courts in Rayagada district, while one was passed by the High Court itself. Among the eight applicants, six were from the Dalit community and two were Adivasis.

Case Details: In Re : Condition Being Imposed While Granting Bail By High Court Of Orissa and District Courts in the State of Odisha and ancillary issues | SMW(Crl) 2/2026