The Supreme Court on Thursday granted former Indian cricketer Dara Singh the liberty to file an amended petition challenging the Odisha state government's rejection of his remission plea. The court's order came after the Odisha government informed it about its decision to deny remission to the former international player, who is currently serving a sentence.
Dara Singh, who represented India in three Test matches between 1991 and 1994, had approached the apex court seeking remission or early release. However, the state government rejected his plea, citing certain grounds which were communicated to the Supreme Court. Upon receiving the state's response, the court allowed him to file a fresh or amended petition responding to the government's objections.
Bench observations suggested that the court was not inclined to dismiss the matter outright and would give the former cricketer an opportunity to present his case after addressing the concerns raised by the Odisha government. The matter has been listed for hearing after three weeks, giving both sides time to prepare their arguments.
Remission in India is governed under Sections 432 and 433 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, which empowers the appropriate government to grant remission to convicts under certain conditions. States have wide discretionary power in considering remission pleas, and courts typically examine whether the procedural safeguards were followed before interfering with such decisions.
Dara Singh's case has drawn attention from sports circles given his contributions to Indian cricket during the early 1990s. His legal battle over remission is now set to be heard in detail when the Supreme Court convenes after the three-week interval.
