Delhi High Court initiates suo motu case for effective implementation of laws on remission and release of convicts

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday initiated suo moto proceedings for effective monitoring and implementation of laws governing remission and premature release of convicts in Delhi [Court on its own Motion Vs State Govt of NCT of Delhi and Ors].

The Division Bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela today appointed Senior Advocate Siddharth Aggarwal as amicus curiae to assist the Court in the matter.

The High Court today directed the Delhi government's Additional Chief Secretary (Home) to file an affidavit in three weeks detailing the current policies of the State regarding remission and premature release of prisoners.

It further directed that all the ancillary circulars, government orders, rules, regulations or statutory provisions should also be brought on record.

“We have to supervise and monitor the implementation of the policies. First of all, we need to know what are the policies and how are you implementing it. For this reason, we will appoint an amicus to point out if there are any loopholes that can be remedied by you,” the Court observed.

The matter will be heard again on January 13 next year.

The proceedings were instituted following a direction issued by the Supreme Court in a case titled 'In Re Policy Strategy for Grant of Bail'.