The Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed a review petition filed by the Gujarat government concerning the court’s prior verdict on the Bilkis Bano case, which had sharply criticized the state for its role in the early release of 11 convicts. These convicts were implicated in the gang rape of Bilkis Bano and the murder of seven of her family members during the 2002 Gujarat riots.
The bench, composed of Justices B V Nagarathna and Ujjal Bhuyan, declined the Gujarat government’s request to reconsider its observations and also refused to list the review petition for an open court hearing. The court maintained that there was no apparent error in its initial judgment that would warrant a reevaluation.
In its verdict dated January 8, the Supreme Court had rebuked the Gujarat government for “usurpation of power” and “abuse of discretion.” The state had contended that this conclusion was an “error apparent on the face of the record,” citing discrepancies based on three primary grounds. However, the Supreme Court found these arguments insufficient to alter its original findings or the conclusions drawn from them.
