States should decide on releasing terminally ill prisoners: SC

The Supreme Court Friday said prison rules were applicable individually to states, which ought to frame common rules on the release of terminally ill prisoners.

- PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta reserved its order on a plea of National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) seeking the release of a group of either terminally ill prisoners or those above 70 from jail.

The Centre claimed of framing a standard operating procedure (SoP) on the issue and the same being on record. The bench, however, noted, "Ultimately, the prison rules are all applicable individually to the states. All states have to come out with a common prison rules wherein this consideration for terminally ill for their release, that has to be there."