In Brief
This batch of writ petitions challenged the Uttar Pradesh premature release policy restricting consideration of life-sentence convicts to Republic Day only, when petitioners had served 16–31 years. The Court held the policy arbitrarily discriminatory and invalid. The Court established that as a welfare State, U.P. must periodically assess all eligible convicts' cases—not require prisoners to initiate applications, as many lack awareness or means. Prior rejections under old policies cannot bar fresh consideration under the 2018 policy. The Court directed individual reconsideration within four weeks and tasked the State Legal Services Authority with monitoring eligible but unable-to-apply prisoners. Parity among co-accused applies: if one is released, similarly situated convicts cannot be arbitrarily denied.
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