The Supreme Court
has dismissed applications from convicts in the Bilkis Bano case, seeking an
extension of the surrender deadline set for January 21. The convicts had moved
the court days after the remission granted by the Gujarat government was quashed,
requesting additional time to surrender.
The apex court,
while rejecting the extension pleas, stated that the reasons presented by the
convicts for postponing surrender lacked merit. The court had annulled the
remission on January 8, criticising the Gujarat government for being
"complicit" and abusing its discretion. The convicts, initially
released prematurely on Independence Day in 2022, were directed to return to
jail within two weeks.
The matter was
presented before a bench of Justices B V Nagarathna and Sanjay Karol,
instructing the registry to place the applications before Chief Justice D Y
Chandrachud for bench reconstitution, as the current bench expires on Sunday.
Senior advocate V
Chitambaresh, representing some convicts, urged an urgent listing on Friday,
emphasising the January 21 deadline for surrender.