The Hindu : National : Home Secretary summoned

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Thursday, Oct 11, 2007
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Home Secretary summoned

Legal Correspondent

New Delhi: The Supreme Court has summoned the Union Home Secretary to appear on October 22 to explain the Centre’s failure to file an affidavit on a petition on life convicts languishing in jail.

A Bench consisting of Justices H.K. Sema, Lokeshwar Singh Panta and Justice D.K. Jain gave this direction on a public interest litigation petition filed by advocate M.K. Balakrishnan, who alleged that thousands of life convicts were languishing in jails even after completion of their sentence.

The Bench also asked Solicitor-General G.E. Vahanvati to be present that day.

In January this year, the court took to task 13 States for not filing their response to a notice issued in 2004 to all States and the Centre. In April, the Home Secretaries of 12 States appeared in person and their affidavits were filed. One Home Secretary did not appear as the affidavit for his State was filed before the date of hearing.

When the matter was taken up on Wednesday, the Bench found that the Centre had not yet filed its response.

The petitioner alleged that the State governments were insensitive to the plight of prisoners who completed 14 years with an unblemished record in jail.

The governments had the power to grant remission, but they were not exercising it. Nor did the Centre come out with any concrete policy in this regard, he said.

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