The Supreme Court has expressed concern over the extraordinary delay by the Allahabad High Court in disposing of a 40-year-old criminal appeal filed by a murder accused challenging his conviction.

A partial working day (PWD) bench comprising Justices Prashant Kumar Mishra and A S Chandurkar, on Monday, described the situation as disturbing and questioned what innovative measures could be adopted to address the mounting pendency that continues to clog the justice delivery system in the Allahabad High Court.