Calcutta High Court Directs State To Consider Convict's Plea For Early Release Within 6 Weeks After Recommendation By Review Board
The Calcutta High Court has directed the West Bengal government to take a decision within six weeks on the premature release of a convict, Bijoy Mukherjee, who was recommended for early release by the State Sentence Review Board.
The order was passed by Justice Om Narayan Rai on a petition filed by Mukherjee and another petitioner, alleging “undue delay” by the State authorities in acting on the Board's recommendation.
According to the petition, the Board had initially rejected Mukherjee's plea for early release, prompting him to approach the High Court in 2024. In that case, the Court had set aside the rejection and directed the authorities to reconsider the application in line with the National Human Rights Commission guidelines.
Following the court's directions, the State Sentence Review Board held a meeting on April 4, 2024 and recommended the premature release of the petitioner. However, despite this, the petitioner alleged that the decision has been pending for over a year.
During the present hearing, the State's counsel informed the Court that the Board's recommendation had been forwarded to the appropriate government authority for approval and was under process.
Taking note of the submissions, Justice Rai ordered the State authorities to take an appropriate decision “as early as possible and preferably within six weeks” of receiving the court's order.
Case: Bijoy Mukherjee & Anr. Vs. State of West Bengal & Ors.
Case No: WPA 3112 of 2025