The story so far: The Supreme Court on January 8 set aside the remission of 11 convicts sentenced to life imprisonment for the gang rape of Bilkis Bano and murder of her family, during the 2002 communal riots in Gujarat. The remission order was passed by the Gujarat government in August 2022.
What are clemency powers?
Article 72 and 161 of the Constitution provide powers to the President and Governor respectively to grant pardon, commutation, remission, respite or reprieve to a convict. These are sovereign powers vested in the heads of the Union and State executive to be exercised on the advice of the council of ministers.
