The Delhi High Court Thursday sought response of the city government on a prisoner's plea seeking direction that the LG be provided with all the material relating to premature release of life convicts for his independent consideration.
Justice Najmi Waziri was hearing a lifer's petition in which it was claimed that the premature release of convicts serving life term was not fairly dealt with by the Sentence Review Board (SRB) of the Delhi government.
The court listed the matter for further hearing on February 27 next year.
The petition was filed by 33-year-old Jitender Kumar Singh, who has been serving life imprisonment in a murder case and has undergone over 17 years (with remission) in jail. He is presently out on parole.
Advocate Amit Sahni, appearing for Singh, submitted that even speaking order is not passed by the SRB while recommending or rejecting premature release of a life convict.
"The SRB considers agenda, brief synopsis and other material placed before it for its consideration for deciding the fate of life convicts on their pre-mature release and then forwards its recommendations to the competent authority for latter's approval, which may or may not agree with the decision of board," he said.
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The plea said that the material considered by the SRB for arriving at a conclusion was not forwarded to the competent authority, that is Lieutenant Governor, and only the board's recommendations are sent.
"Thus, the LG cannot apply its independent application of mind upon the material, considered by the SRB because the entire material is not sent to the LG for its independent consideration and evaluation of the decision/ recommendations of SRB," it said.
The plea said that the board held a meeting on October 4 and only recommendations were forwarded to the LG and not the documents.
It said the petitioner has made a representation to the LG on October 30 stating all the facts and irregularities committed by SRB.
There are several other petitions pending before the high court where the decisions of the board have been challenged, including that of tandoor case convict Sushil Sharma.
The SRB, chaired by Delhi Home minister, comprises principal secretary (Home), principal secretary (law), director general (prisons), joint commissioner of police (crime), chief probation officer and a district judge.