Punjab moves apex court on premature release of life convicts

Punjab government has filed an application in the Supreme Court seeking permission to consider applications of life convicts who want remissions and premature release from jail.
An official release said here today that the state government has filed the application in the apex court on January 8 in which it has been submitted that the Governor of Punjab has been exercising the powers granted under the Constitution while granting remission for convicts were undergoing life imprisonment.
However, the counsel submitted, that in the light of the orders passed by the apex court in July last year the state governments have been restrained from exercising the power of remission to life convicts.

"There were various cases where the life convicts have become eligible for the remission in light of the law and rules framed there under in compliance with the orders of the court. The state of Punjab has not considered the cases of remission or forwarded it to the Governor," the release said.
The state government's moving the apex court assumes significance as it had on December 24 sought the premature release of 13 life convicts, five of them convicted in former Chief Minister Beant Singh assassination case and one in bomb blast in Delhi on September 1993, in which nine persons were killed and 25 injured including former Youth Congress chief M S Bitta.

The state government's counsel pleaded the concerned case was pending before the apex court for hearing since July 2014 and applications of convicts for prayer for remission and premature release were not being considered by the state of Punjab as directed by the court.
Under these circumstances, the counsel pleaded with the apex court that Punjab be allowed to consider and decide applications of life convicts seeking remission and premature release, according to the release.