The Supreme Court on Thursday asked the Director General (Prisons) to file an affidavit in his personal capacity within three weeks, giving details about the steps taken so far to grant benefit of remission to convicts in Uttar Pradesh.
Issuing a slew of directions, a bench headed by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud asked the State to provide the information as to how many convicts, who are eligible for premature release, are there in each district. “How many cases have been considered for premature release since the judgment of this case…,” said the bench, also comprising Justice PS Narasimha.
The top court also sought the details of pending cases of remission with the State authorities and the time period by when the matters will be considered.
The court also appointed lawyer Rishi Malhotra as an amicus curiae (a friend of court) to assist it.
Earlier, the top court, in a judgment, had issued several directions having an impact on remission of nearly 500 convicts undergoing life imprisonment in Uttar Pradesh.
The verdict had said all the cases of premature release of life convicts will be considered according to an August 2018 policy of the State.
It had added there was no requirement for the convict to submit an application for premature release, and their cases will be considered automatically by jail authorities.
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