Remission is a constitutional right as well as statutory: SC

THE Supreme Court on Tuesday observed that the right to seek remission of convicts -- sentenced to life imprisonment for the rest of their lives in gangrape cases involving minors -- was not only a constitutional right but also a statutory one.

- SUCHITRA KALYAN MOHANTY @ New Delhi

ON the sixth day of hearing in the Presidential Reference case, the Supreme Court on Tuesday asked the parties what the consequences would be if the Governor or the President did not follow the timeline prescribed by it in its April 8 verdict.

"Can the Governor or the President be hauled up for contempt of court if they will not follow the April 8 verdict?" the SC asked. To this, one of the respondents, the Tamil Nadu government, through its lawyer Abhishek Manu Singhvi, replied that "deemed assent" to the bills can be a consequence.

The SC also observed that certain instances of delay in granting assent to Bills cannot justify the laying down of a blanket timeline for the Governors and President to act as per Articles 200 and 201 of the Constitution, respectively.