The Supreme Court of India voiced extreme concern at the recurrent phenomenon of non-production of accused persons before the trial courts of Maharashtra. Harshly criticizing the state, the court observed that failure on its part to ensure their prompt appearance was violative of the very principles of justice and due process.Background of Case This happened when the Supreme Court entertained a petition on delay in trial since some of the accused were not brought before the court as the police failed to produce them on the basis of non-production due to logistic factors which resulted from a failure to coordinate on part of the police with that of the prison, poor transport facilities, among other issues of planning. The petition brought to light instances where the trial was adjourned several times because the accused were not produced in court, thus causing undue delay and violating the right to a speedy trial under Article 21. Court's Observations Observing that the repeated failure on the part of the state of Maharashtra to ensure physical or virtual production of accused persons before trial courts not only undermined the judicial process but also caused undue detention and protracted legal combat, the bench said: The failure of the state to produce accused persons reflects a systemic failure that undermines justice. This cannot be tolerated because it has serious implications both for the rights of the accused and the working of the judiciary. The court further added that the right to speedy trial is a constitutional right, and the state has a constitutional obligation to ensure that the justice delivery system works effectively. Directions to the State The Supreme Court provided the following instructions to deal with the situation: Infrastructure: The Maharashtra government was instructed to modernize transport and technological infrastructures to facilitate time-bound productions, one such measure being video conferencing. Coordination Machinery: The court instructed a better coordination between police, prisons, and courts. Review Mechanism: The court had recommended the setting up of a monitoring committee at the state level for monitoring compliance and removal of bottlenecks of logistics. Use of Technology: There was more stress on the use of video conferencing to reduce delay due to non-production. Implication of the Judgment This judgment is an interest from the judiciary towards the issue of ensuring procedural justice and accountability within the criminal justice system. Observations of Supreme Court might lead to much-needed reforms in Maharashtra and might become a trend for other states facing similar issues also. This judgment deals with systemic inefficiencies that would help in the core rights of an accused being met and restore people's faith in the judiciary. State compliance with such directions shall be crucial in correcting delay and dispensation of justice with due haste.