<p>The DMK government in Tamil Nadu has supported before the Supreme Court a plea made by two life-term convicts in the 1991 Rajiv Gandhi assassination case to release them prematurely, saying both had served over 30 years in jail and the state had approved remitting sentence of all seven convicts over four years ago.</p>.<p>The state government also pointed out that the Governor did not decide on its recommendations, sent on September 11, 2018, for over two years and forwarded the file to the President on January 27, 2021, which still remained undecided.</p>.<p>Responding to separate pleas filed by convicts S Nalini and R P Ravichandran, the state government said the law is well-settled that the Governor is bound by the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers of a State under Article 161 of the Constitution.</p>.<p>The written response also pointed out co-convict A G Perarivalan had on May 18 been ordered to be released by the top court after noting inordinate delay by the Governor on remission of his sentence, and over 31 years of his incarceration.</p>.<p>The apex court had then used its extraordinary power to do complete justice under Article 142 of the Constitution to set the convict, already on bail since March 9, 2022, at liberty forthwith in the case.</p>.<p>Subsequently, both Nalini and Ravichandran had filed their plea in the Madras High Court citing release of another convict Perarivalan by the top court.</p>.<p>The High Court, however, refused to entertain their plea, forcing them to the Supreme Court. The HC had on June 17 said that it cannot exercise powers under Article 142 of the Constitution to pass a similar order, passed by the top court.</p>
<p>The DMK government in Tamil Nadu has supported before the Supreme Court a plea made by two life-term convicts in the 1991 Rajiv Gandhi assassination case to release them prematurely, saying both had served over 30 years in jail and the state had approved remitting sentence of all seven convicts over four years ago.</p>.<p>The state government also pointed out that the Governor did not decide on its recommendations, sent on September 11, 2018, for over two years and forwarded the file to the President on January 27, 2021, which still remained undecided.</p>.<p>Responding to separate pleas filed by convicts S Nalini and R P Ravichandran, the state government said the law is well-settled that the Governor is bound by the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers of a State under Article 161 of the Constitution.</p>.<p>The written response also pointed out co-convict A G Perarivalan had on May 18 been ordered to be released by the top court after noting inordinate delay by the Governor on remission of his sentence, and over 31 years of his incarceration.</p>.<p>The apex court had then used its extraordinary power to do complete justice under Article 142 of the Constitution to set the convict, already on bail since March 9, 2022, at liberty forthwith in the case.</p>.<p>Subsequently, both Nalini and Ravichandran had filed their plea in the Madras High Court citing release of another convict Perarivalan by the top court.</p>.<p>The High Court, however, refused to entertain their plea, forcing them to the Supreme Court. The HC had on June 17 said that it cannot exercise powers under Article 142 of the Constitution to pass a similar order, passed by the top court.</p>
