Delhi HC begins suo motu oversight of remission, premature release of convicts

The bench directed the Delhi government to submit an affidavit detailing its existing policies regarding the same within two weeks.

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday initiated suo moto proceedings to monitor and supervise the implementation of policies concerning remission and premature release of convicts in the national capital.

The court appointed senior advocate Siddharth Agarwal as amicus curiae to assist in the proceedings.

A bench of chief justice DK Upadhyay and justice Tushar Rao Gedela initiated the proceedings following the Supreme Court’s November 4 directive instructing the chief justice of all high courts to register suo motu writ petitions and form benches to oversee the implementation of their respective states’ remission and premature release policies.

“We have to supervise and monitor the implementation of the policies. First, we need to know what the policies are. We will appoint an amicus to point out if any loopholes can be remedied by,” the court observed.

The bench directed the Delhi government to submit an affidavit detailing its existing policies regarding the same within two weeks. It added the affidavit to be filed by the additional chief secretary of the Delhi government’s department of Home Affairs must also include any relevant circulars, rules, regulations, government orders, or statutory provisions on the subject.

The court also appointed senior advocate Siddharth Agarwal as amicus curiae to assist in the proceedings and scheduled the matter for further hearing on January 13, 2026.