Guj objects to pleas against early release of 11 convicts

NEW DELHI: The Gujarat government told the Supreme Court on Wednesday that its order releasing 11 convicts in the Bilkis Bano rape case could not be questioned by a third party as grant of remission is an order reducing the quantum of sentence and no public interest litigation (PIL) on the aspect of a prisoner's sentencing can stand

- Abraham Thomas

The state represented by ASG SV Raju said, "Remission is nothing but reduction of sentence and on sentencing, there cannot be a public interest litigation." The state had objected to the maintainability of a slew of petitions filed in public interest challenging the release of the 11 convicts who were convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment for committing gangrape of three women, including Bilkis, and murder of 14 persons during the 2002 Gujarat riots. The bench of justices BV Nagarathna and Ujjal Bhuyan said, "This is not a criminal matter. It is an administrative order.