The Supreme Court on Monday instructed the Delhi government, now led by newly appointed Chief Minister Atishi, to decide on the remission of a life convict within three weeks. This directive comes after the court expressed dissatisfaction over delays caused by former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s inability to sign documents while in jail due to the excise policy case.
A bench comprising Justices AS Oka and Pankaj Mithal noted that this issue should no longer persist, as the new chief minister has assumed office. “You can take directions from the chief minister,” the bench remarked, scheduling the next hearing for October 18.
Additional Solicitor General Archana Pathak Dave, representing the Delhi government, assured the court that a decision would be reached within three weeks.
At the last hearing on September 6, the court had expressed frustration over the delays in deciding remission cases, which impact personal liberty, due to the absence of the chief minister’s signature. The court questioned whether any legal restraint prevented the chief minister from performing his duties while in jail, noting that the matter could affect numerous individuals.
The case involves convict Harpreet Singh, who is serving a life sentence and filed for premature release earlier this year. In May, the Supreme Court granted Delhi two months to decide on his petition and released Singh on furlough. By July, the remission board was still considering his plea, prompting the court to give the government another month to finalize the decision.
The Delhi government had informed the court that Singh’s file was delayed, pending Kejriwal’s signature, before it could be forwarded to Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena for approval.
The court also asked the government to clarify if the chief minister was legally prohibited from handling remission cases while in custody. It further warned that it might invoke its extraordinary powers under Article 142 of the Constitution, which allows the court to pass any order necessary to deliver complete justice, to release Singh.
