The court, while slating the matter for April 18, made it clear that it will first draw up the gamut within which the hearing has to be conducted.
The Supreme Court on Monday issued notice to the Centre, state of Gujarat and 11 convicts on the petition filed by Bilkis Bano challenging the premature release of the convicts in the rape and murder case during the 2002 Gujarat riots.
A bench of Justices KM Joseph and BV Nagarathna issued the notices and posted the case for a detailed hearing from April 18.
The bench described the crime committed by the convicts as horrendous and said that it would not be overwhelmed by emotions.
During the hearing, the bench asked Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, who was appearing for Centre, whether they were consulted before the remission was granted.
The ASG told the bench that the Centre was duly consulted.
To this, Justice Joseph told counsel for the state of Gujarat to keep all the files regarding the release of the convicts ready at the next date of hearing.
The court, while slating the matter for April 18, made it clear that it will first draw up the gamut within which the hearing has to be conducted.
Justice Joseph also told the lawyers appearing in the case that the matter needed to be concluded before June, as he was retiring by then.
The court also asked the Gujarat government if the state could apply the remission policy like this when even murder convicts were languishing in jail for years.
The court also asked about the criminal background of the convicts who were released.
At this, Advocate Vrinda Grover, who was appearing for one of the PIL petitioners in the case, told the bench that during their parole some of the convicts had also been charged with molestation.