Answering five questions referred by the Supreme Court, the Patna High Court has examined the remission and premature-release regime under the Bihar Prison Manual, 2012 and issued seventeen recommendations to make it transparent, time-bound and fair. It held the rules are not ‘absolutely selective’, but directed that every prisoner be given a duplicate History Ticket showing remission earned or forfeited, that no remission be seized without a hearing and reasons, and that an appeal and grievance mechanism be created, with safeguards for illiterate prisoners.
The Supreme Court stayed a Delhi High Court order directing the premature release of Mohammed Rashid Khan, convicted in the 1993 Bowbazar bomb blasts that killed 69 people in Kolkata. The Court issued notice on West Bengal’s plea challenging the release, while granting an interim stay on the order concerning the TADA convict.
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The Supreme Court, led by Justice Abhay S. Oka, raised concerns about the filing of false cases impacting the judicial system’s integrity. Highlighting recent patterns of misconduct, the Court plans to implement guidelines for enhanced scrutiny in case filings. Discussions will focus on advocate conduct and the senior designation process, with further reviews scheduled.
