Srinagar, Nov. 11 -- The power to arrest is among the state's most far-reaching powers and the moment a citizen is taken into custody, the balance shifts entirely in favour of the state. That imbalance is why the Constitution places limits on detention, mandates judicial oversight and guarantees legal protections. When those safeguards fail, custody ceases to be an instrument of law and becomes a space where rights can disappear from public view.

Supreme Court's recent observations on custodial violence and unlawful detention serve as a reminder that constitutional rights do not begin at the courtroom door. They apply from the very moment an individual's liberty is restricted. By ruling that the 24-hour limit for producing a detainee bef...