State Of Haryana & Ors vs Jagdish

Bhup Singh (supra) "10..... The right to ask for remission of sentence by a life convict would be under the law as was prevailing on the date on which the judgment of conviction and sentence was passed .......

5. In the instant case, we find that the respondent, herein, has been granted the relief by the Punjab and Haryana High Court for consideration of his case for grant of clemency as per the policy prevailing on the date of his conviction. The respondent was convicted and sentenced for life imprisonment vide judgment and order dated 20.05.1999 and the policy which was in existence at that point of time was dated 04.02.1993. The respondent, having served more than 10 years imprisonment, approached the High Court that in spite of having undergone the sentence as per the aforesaid policy dated 04.02.1993, his case for pre-mature release was not being considered in view of the new policy of short sentencing, introduced on 13.08.2008. The policy dated 13.8.2008 has been brought on record, which expressly recites that the same was being issued in exercise of the powers conferred by Sub-Section (1) of Section 432 read with Section 433 of Criminal Procedure Code (hereinafter called Cr.P.C.), 1973. The same 3 further recites that it is in supersession of the Government Memorandum dated 12.04.2002 and all other earlier policies.

12. In the instant case, the respondent was convicted on 20th May, 1999 and sentenced for life imprisonment. Remission policy has been changed from time to time and provided mainly as under:

(a) Convicts whose death sentence Their cases for pre-mature release has been commuted to life may be considered after completion imprisonment and convicts who have of 20 years actual sentence and 25 been imprisoned for life having years total sentence with committed a heinous crime such as:- remissions.

The aforesaid case was disposed of by this Court observing that in case the clemency petition of the petitioner therein was pending despite of the directive of the High Court, it would be open to the said petitioner to approach the High Court for compliance of its order.

36. Two contrary views have always prevailed on the issue of purpose of criminal justice and punishment. The punishment, if taken to be remedial and for the benefit of the convict, remission should be granted. If sentence is taken purely punitive in public interest to vindicate the authority of law and to deter others, it should not be granted.

45. Accordingly, for the reasons given hereinabove, we find no reason to interfere with the judgment of the High Court, which is hereby affirmed. The appeal is dismissed accordingly, subject to the direction that the appellant-State Government shall proceed to calculate the sentence for the purpose of consideration of remission in the case of the respondent as per the policy dated 04.02.1993.

....................................CJI.

.......................................J. (J.M. PANCHAL) .......................................J. (Dr. B.S. CHAUHAN) New Delhi, March 22, 2010 3 REPORTABLE IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION SPECIAL LEAVE PETITION (CRL.) NO. 5842 OF 2009 State of Haryana &Ors. ...Appellants Versus Harpal ...Respondent WITH SLP (Crl.) No.6385/2009 SLP (Crl.) No.6442/2009 SLP (Crl.) No.6441/2009 SLP (Crl.) No.6444/2009 SLP (Crl.) No.5768/2009 SLP (Crl.) No.7629/2009 SLP (Crl.) No.7579/2009 SLP (Crl.) No.7580/2009 SLP (Crl.) No.7581/2009 SLP (Crl.) No.7582/2009 SLP (Crl.) No.8140/2009 SLP (Crl.) No.7631/2009 SLP (Crl.) No.7630/2009 SLP (Crl.) No.7628/2009 SLP (Crl.) No.7622/2009 SLP (Crl.) No.7623/2009 3 SLP (Crl.) No.7625/2009 SLP (Crl.) No.7619/2009 SLP (Crl.) No.7621/2009 SLP (Crl.) No.7659/2009 SLP (Crl.) No.7654/2009 SLP (Crl.) No.7656/2009 SLP (Crl.) No.7657/2009 SLP (Crl.) No.7652/2009 SLP (Crl.) No.7655/2009 SLP (Crl.) No.7661/2009 SLP (Crl.) No.7653/2009 SLP (Crl.) No.7651/2009 SLP (Crl.) No.7660/2009 SLP (Crl.) No.7649/2009 SLP (Crl.) No.7658/2009 SLP (Crl.) No......... /2009 @Crl.M.P. No.13253 SLP (Crl.) No.7974/2008 SLP (Crl.) No.9330/2008 SLP (Crl.) No.9234/2008 SLP (Crl.) No.9268/2008 SLP (Crl.) No. ................ /2009 @Crl.M.P. No.12754 SLP (Crl.) No. .................. /2009 Crl.M.P. No.13045 SLP (Crl.) No.6914/2009 SLP (Crl.) No.6913/2009 SLP (Crl.) No.8288/2009 SLP (Crl.) No.8290/2009 SLP (Crl.) No.8291/2009 SLP (Crl.) No.8292/2009 SLP (Crl.) No.8293/2009 SLP (Crl.) No.8294/2009 SLP (Crl.) No.8297/2009 SLP (Crl.) No.8298/2009 SLP (Crl.) No.8300/2009 SLP (Crl.) No.8301/2009 SLP (Crl.) No.8302/2009 SLP (Crl.) No................ /2009 @Crl.M.P. No.18221 SLP (Crl.) No.............../2009 @Crl.M.P. No.18264 SLP (Crl.) No............. /2009 @Crl.M.P. No. 18402 SLP (Crl.) No. 831/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 832/2009 3 SLP (Crl.) No. 1026/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 1097/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 1615/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 2101/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 1861/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 2216/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 3475/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 3035/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 3042/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 3032/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 3044/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 3040/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 3123/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 4125/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 4076/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 4077/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 4815/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 4882/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 5117/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 5173/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 6787/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 6272/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 6783/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 6310/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 6784/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 6467/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 6468/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 6985/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 6637/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 6986/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 6647/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 6766/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 6767/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 6776/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 6777/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 7147/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 8392/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 4789/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 6485/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 4802/2009 3 SLP (Crl.) No. 4803/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 4909/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 6487/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 4933/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 4934/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 4943/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 4956/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 6488/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 5115/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 5118/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 5166/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 5170/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 5174/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 8800/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 8802/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 8801/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 8806/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 8804/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 8807/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 4883/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 9364/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 9373/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 9392/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 9379/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 9376/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 9382/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 9384/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 9387/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 9389/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 9372/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 9366/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 9371/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 9368/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 9388/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 9383/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 9385/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 9378/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 9377/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 9381/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 9374/2009 4 SLP (Crl.) No. 9358/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 9367/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 9369/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 9370/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 9380/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 10237/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 9393/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 9390/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 9355/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 9351/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 9359/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 9354/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 9386/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 10119/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 10122/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 10121/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 10123/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 10120/2009 SLP (Crl.) No. 200/2010 SLP (Crl.) No. 211/2010 SLP (Crl.) No. 210/2010 SLP (Crl.) No. 206/2010 SLP (Crl.) No. 207/2010 SLP (Crl.) No. 196/2010 SLP (Crl.) No. 193/2010 SLP (Crl.) No. 194/2010 SLP (Crl.) No. 199/2010 SLP (Crl.) No. 205/2010 SLP (Crl.) No. 197/2010 SLP (Crl.) No. 198/2010 SLP (Crl.) No. 204/2010 SLP (Crl.) No. 208/2010 SLP (Crl.) No. 203/2010 SLP (Crl.) No. 192/2010 SLP (Crl.) No. 437/2010 SLP (Crl.) No. 3118/2009 4 JUDGMENT Dr. B.S. CHAUHAN, J.

In view of our judgment pronounced today in Criminal Appeal No... .........of 2010 @ SLP(Crl.) No. 6638 of 2009 (State of Haryana & Ors. v. Jagdish), these Special Leave Petitions are dismissed.

....................................CJI.