The Supreme Court on Monday expressed strong disapproval of the Delhi government’s handling of cases related to the premature release of prisoners, describing the situation as a "sorry state of affairs."

A bench comprising Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan also took serious note of the conduct of the Sentence Review Board (SRB), which had rejected several applications for premature release. "The manner in which the Delhi government is dealing with the issue of premature release of prisoners is deeply concerning," the bench remarked.

The Court noted that, despite previous assurances from the Delhi government, there had been no tangible progress on the matter. It emphasized the need for a thorough examination into how such cases are being addressed.

Earlier, the apex court had sharply criticized the Delhi government for delays in processing the remission applications of 114 convicts, including one linked to Jaish-e-Mohammed, who was serving a life sentence for conspiring to wage war against the nation.

The Court has consistently raised concerns over the mechanical and arbitrary rejection of remission pleas, particularly those involving life convicts who have already completed over 14 years of imprisonment.