In a significant ruling, the Supreme Court of India reiterated the principle that 'bail is the rule and jail is the exception' under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) while granting bail to Syed Iftikhar Andrabi, a resident of Handwara, Jammu and Kashmir, who had been detained for over six years without trial. The bench, comprising Justices BV Nagarathna and Ujjal Bhuyan, emphasized that prolonged incarceration cannot be justified solely based on the stringent provisions of the UAPA. They underscored the importance of Articles 21 and 22 of the Constitution, which protect personal liberty and the right to a speedy trial, even in serious cases involving terrorism. The court also expressed concerns about lower court judgments that appeared to undermine the principles established in the 2021 KA Najeeb case, which allowed for bail in cases of prolonged trial delays. Furthermore, the judges pointed out that the statutory restrictions under Section 43D(5) of the UAPA should not be interpreted to permit indefinite detention without trial. The ruling is particularly significant given the low conviction rates in UAPA cases, which have been reported to be below one percent in Jammu and Kashmir.