SC Justice Bela M Trivedi recuses from hearing Bilkis Bano's petition
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New Delhi: Tuesday, Justice Bela M. Trivedi revised from hearing Bilkis Bano's appeal before the Supreme Court contesting the early release of 11 convicts.
Bano, a victim of gang rape in the 2002 Gujarat riots, filed a petition opposing the state government's decision to commute the sentences of the defendants, claiming that their early release "shook the conscience of society."
Tuesday's case was taken up for hearing by a bench consisting of Justice Trivedi and Justice Ajay Rastogi, but Justice Rastogi soon stated that his sister judge will not like to hear the matter.
As a result, the matter was postponed and must be listed before a new bench.
"List the matter before a bench in which one of us is not a member", the bench headed by Justice Rastogi ordered.
The bench did not give an explanation for the recusal of justice Trivedi.
On August 15 of this year, the state administration granted remission to all 11 of the prisoners, and they were all released, Indian Express reported.
The state administration was urged by the supreme court to take into account the request for the convicts' early release in accordance with its policy of July 9, 1992, which stated that remission petitions should be decided within two months.
