By IANS
New Delhi : Nearly four years after taking it up, the Supreme Court Tuesday abruptly dismissed a bunch of petitions for examining the early release of convicts serving life terms and laying of uniform guidelines for their release.
A bench of Justices H.K. Sema and Markandey Katju dismissed the petitions nearly four years after the court decided to take up the issue and had held several hearings. It dismissed the pleas, describing them as devoid of merit and “frivolous” that had resulted in “wastage” of judicial time.
“There is no merit in the petitions,” the court said, adding, “There is no question of laying down any guidelines as that would amount to asking the government to enact a law on the issue.”
The bench also observed that it would expect authorities to exercise the president’s power to grant pardon or remit a sentence of a convict cautiously and judiciously.
The bench refused to examine the government’s alleged insensitivity to the plight of life convicts still in jail despite completing 14 years’ term.
The court asked counsel appearing for the petitioners to approach the high courts in their states and come to it if they are denied relief.
The petitions were filed in 2003 after the Haryana government “indiscriminately” released scores of lifers much before their 14-year term ended.
A public suit filed by Anil Sharma of Haryana had challenged the then state government’s decision, alleging that it seemed influenced by political consideration.
Another petition filed by advocate M.K. Balakrishnan had referred to the Andhra Pradesh government’s decision on the premature release of 1,500 prisoners on a single day.
Expressing its annoyance at the petitioner from Haryana, the bench termed his suit as “frivolous” that had resulted in “wastage” of judicial time. The court even threatened to impose a cost of Rs.100,000 on him.
It said Sharma had filed the petition without giving particulars of cases and had failed to show that remission was granted in cases involving murder.