Delhi HC to monitor implementation of policies for premature release of convicts

New Delhi, Dec 10 (PTI) The Delhi High Court on Wednesday initiated proceedings to monitor and supervise the implementation of policies concerning remission and premature release of convicts in the national capital.

A bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela initiated the suo motu petition (on its own) pursuant to recent directions issued by the Supreme Court in “Re Policy Strategy For Grant Of Bail”.

On November 4, the apex court requested “the chief justices of respective high courts to register a suo moto writ petition and thereafter, a division bench shall be constituted to monitor and supervise the implementation of the remission and premature release policies of the respective states. The progress in this regard shall be informed by the high court, by way of an affidavit….” In pursuance of the apex court’s order, the high court said that the suo motu petition shall encompass monitoring and supervising the implementation of the remission and premature release policies of Delhi.

The bench directed the Delhi Government to file an affidavit in respect of the current policies regarding remission and premature release of the convicts.

It said the affidavit should also include any circulars, Rules, Regulations or government orders or statutory provisions issued on the subject.

The affidavit has to be filed by the Additional Chief Secretary of the Delhi Government's Department of Home Affairs within two weeks.

The court, which appointed senior advocate Siddharth Agarwal as amicus curiae to assist it in the matter, listed the case for further hearing on January 13, 2026.

The top court had passed the directions after expressing displeasure over the failure to implement remission and premature release policies in the states of Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.

It had advised the state governments to initiate the premature release process of the eligible convicts “at least six months prior to the eligibility of a convict so that unwanted time by way of incarceration even after a convict becomes eligible for premature release can very well be avoided”. PTI SKV RT