Bilkis Bano case: SC dismisses Gujarat govt plea seeking review of verdict

The Supreme Court has rejected a Gujarat government plea seeking review of its verdict in the Bilkis Bano case. The administration had sought review of a January 8 verdict that facilitated the re-imprisonment of 11 convicts over certain observations made against the state. 
“We are satisfied that there is no error apparent on the face of the record or any merit in the review petitions, warranting reconsideration of the order impugned. The review petitions are, accordingly, dismissed,” the apex court said in its order.
A bench of Justices B V Nagarathna and Ujjal Bhuyan also rejected the application for listing review petition in open court.
A bench led by Justice Nagarathna had decreed in January this year that the Gujarat government was not competent to pass the remission orders. It had said the appropriate government to decide the remission was the State within whose territorial limits the accused are sentenced — Maharashtra in this case — and not where the crime is committed or the accused are imprisoned.
The Gujarat government plea had since flagged the January 8 verdict that held it guilty of “usurpation of power” and “abuse of discretion” for complying with an order of another top court bench. It contended that there was an “error apparent on the face of the record” primarily on three grounds.
11 men convicted of raping Bilkis Bano and murdering seven of her family members during the 2002 riots were granted early release from prison in August 2022. The verdict was overturned earlier this year and the convicts surrendered before the Godhra jail authorities on January 21.
(With inputs from agencies)