Shivani Pandey-
Published on: August 13,2021 12:48 IST
The Supreme Court on Friday entreated the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) to contemplate issuing a Standard Operating Procedure in order to protect the rights of Convicts.
A Division Bench of Justice D.Y. Chandrachud and M.R. Shah was hearing Special Leave Petitions (SLPs) filed from Jail against the Judgement of High Court affirming the conviction of the Petitioners under Section 302 read with Section 34 of the Indian Penal Code.
The Bench stated that Uttar Pradesh Legal Service Authority shall make sure that its Panel Lawyer visit every Jail in the State of Uttar Pradesh and after carefully inspecting the term of sentence undergone, suggest the Convicts and help them in drafting appropriate representations.
“Once such Applications are filed, they shall be disposed of by the competent Authority within a period of three months from the date of receipt”, said the Bench.
The Court directed for a Copy of the Order to be forwarded to (i) The Uttar Pradesh Legal Services Authority; (ii)The State Legal Services Authority and (iii)The Secretary of the National Legal Services Authority.
The Bench also entreated the NALSA to consider issuing a Uniform Country wide Standard Operation Procedure (SOP) in order to protect the rights of similarly placed Convicts and Pre-mature release in accordance with the Provision of Law.
In light of the facts and the circumstances of the Special leave Petitions, the Court after hearing the Amicus Dr. Rajiv Nanda found no error in the disputed Judgement and thus dismissed the Special Leave Petitions.