SC issues directions to improve policy governing remission of convicts

The Supreme Court has issued a slew of directions aimed at standardising and improving the transparency of policies governing permanent remission to convicts in the country.The directions of the bench comprising Justices Abhay S Oka and Augustine George Masih mandate greater accessibility to policy information, timely communication of decisions, and individualised consideration of cases to prevent arbitrary conditions.The bench was hearing a suo motu case of 2021 titled as "Policy Strategy for Grant of Bail" and directed all states and union territories to inform convicts of any rejection of applications for permanent remission within one week.They will also have to forward copies of these rejections to the district legal services authorities concerned to ensure appropriate steps were taken to provide legal aid to the convicts.At this stage, we issue the following directions, which will apply to all the states: (i) The copies of the existing policies governing the grant of ...