Holding

The Governor’s order granting remission to respondent No.2 is set aside for being based on irrelevant material and lacking application of mind, though the Governor may reconsider the petition with proper material.

Summary

The petitioners, sons of murder victims, challenged the Governor of Andhra Pradesh’s order granting remission of the unserved portion of a ten‑year rigorous imprisonment sentence imposed on respondent No.2 for murder. They argued that the remission was granted on irrelevant and extraneous material, without proper application of mind, and that the petition filed by respondent No.3 (the convict’s wife, a sitting MLA) omitted material about a pending criminal case. The Court examined the limited scope of judicial review of pardon powers under Articles 72 and 161, enumerating grounds such as lack of application of mind, mala‑fide intent, and reliance on irrelevant considerations. It held that the Governor’s order was unsustainable and set it aside, but left open the possibility for the Governor to reconsider the petition with correct material. The petition was therefore partly allowed.

Issues considered

The extent to which the exercise of pardon/remission power by the Governor is amenable to judicial review.
Whether the Governor’s order granting remission was passed without application of mind, mala‑fide, or on extraneous considerations.
Whether relevant material was omitted from the consideration of the Governor.
Whether a remission order can be rescinded if obtained by fraud or misrepresentation.
Whether guidelines are required for the exercise of the pardon power.

Legislation cited

Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973s. Section 432, s. Section 433, s. Section 433A, s. Section 434, s. Section 435
Constitution of Indias. Article 161, s. Article 72
General Clauses Act, 1897s. Section 14, s. Section 21
Government of India Act, 1935s. Section 295
Indian Penal Code, 1860s. Section 109, s. Section 302, s. Section 304(1), s. Section 54, s. Section 55

Subjects

pardonremissionexecutive clemencyjudicial reviewArticle 72Article 161Governorapplication of mindextraneous considerationsrule of lawcriminal procedure

Judgment

EPURU SUDHAKAR AND ANR. A
v.
GOVT. OF A.P. AND ORS.

OCTOBER 11, 2006

[ARIJIT PASA YAT AND S.H. KAPADIA, JJ.] B

Constitution of India, 1950; Articles 72 and 161:

Grant of pardon by President/Governor-Judicial Review-Scope of-
Held: Limited judicial review of the exercise/non-exercise of pardon power C
by the President/Governor available in certain cases-Pardoning power
could be exercised as an act of grace and humanity in proper cases-
Exercise of such power is an exercise in futility in the absence of reasons-
The Government could rescind or cancel the pardon when it come to know
that it has been obtained by fraud/patent/misrepresentation/manifest mistake- D
Jn the facts and circumstances of the case, it is clear that irrelevant and
extraneous material entered into the decision making process, thereby
vitiating it and facts about pendency of criminal cases not disclosed in the
petition-Hence the impugned order granting remission is unsustainable
and set aside-However, it is open to the Governor to make further enquiries
as considered necessary for ascertaining relevant factors and the State E
government could re-treat the petition as pending for re-consideration to
decide the question of grant ofpardon-Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973-
Sections 432 to 435-Penal Code, 1860-Ss. 54-55-General Clauses Act,
1897-Ss.14 and 21.

Father of Petitioner No.I and another person were allegedly murdered F
by respondent No.2. The matter came up before this Court, which was disposed
of by judgment dated 19.11.2003 altering conviction of respondent No.2 from
one under Section 302 IPC to Section 304(1) read with Section 109 IPC and
custodial sentence of 10 years' rigorous imprisonment was imposed. In the
meantime, respondent No.3, wife of respondent no.2-convict, contested the G
election to the Andhra Pradesh Assembly. She was elected as member of
Legislative Assembly. On 14.5.2004 she made a representation for grant of
parole to her husband, respondent No.2. It was granted and extended from
time to time. Later, respondent No.3 made a representation to the State
Government seeking pardon to her husband by exercise of power under Article
81 H
82 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2006] SUPP. 7 S.C.R.

A 161 of the Constitution. The Governor granted remission of the unexpired
sentence to respondent No.2. Aggrieved, the son of the deceased filed a writ
petition.

The petitioner contended that the grant of remission/pardon to
respondent no.2 was illegal as relevant materials were not placed before the
B Governor, and thus, the order was passed by the Governor without application
· of mind; that the factual scenario has not been placed before the Governor in
the proper perspective; that the sole basis on which respondent No.3 asked
for pardon was alleged implication in false cases due to political rivalry. In
view of this Court's judgment holding the respondent No.2 guilty, the said
C plea could not have been even considered as a basis for grant of pardon; and
that since the grant of pardon is based on consideration of irrelevant materials
and non-consideration of relevant materials, it is liable to be set aside.

The respondent-State contended that the petition is the outcome of a
political vendetta; that all relevant materials have been taken into account by
D the Governor before passing the order granting remission; that the petitioner
has confused between pardon and remission of sentence; and that since
materials existed which warranted the grant of remission, no interference in
,.
the matter is called for.

Partly allowing the petition, the Court
E •
HELD: Per Arijit Pasayat, J.

1.1. The philosophy underlying the pardon power is that "every civilized
country recognizes, and has therefore provided for, the pardoning power to

-
be exercised as an act of grace and humanity in proper cases. Without such
F a power of clemency, to be exercised by some department or functionary of a
Government, a country would be most imperfect and deficient in its political
morality, and in that attribute of Deity whose judgments are always tempered
with mercy." [93-D, E)

American Jurisprudence, Second Edition, Volume 59, referred to.
G
1.2. It is fairly well settled that the exercise or non-exercise of pardon ...
power by the President or Governor, as the case may be, is not immune from
judicial review. Limited judicial review is available in certain cases. 199-BI

Biddle v. Perovich, 71 L. Ed. 1161, referred to.
H ·~·-
EPURU SUDHAKAR v. GOVT. OF A.P. 83
Framing of India's Constitution: A Study, Second Edition by Dr. A
Subhash C Kashyap, referred to.

Administrative Law, Ninth Edition by Sir William Wades; American
Jurisprudence, Second Edition, Volume 59 and "Pardon and Parole", Volume
67-A of Corpus Juris Secundum, referred to.
B
1.3. Judicial review of the order of the President or the Governor under
Article 72 or Article 161, as the case may be, is available and their orders
can be impugned on the following grounds:

(a) that the order has been passed without application of mind;
c
(b) that the order is ma/a fide;

(c) that the order has been passed on extraneous or wholly irrelevant
considerations;

(d) that relevant materials have been kept out of consideration; D
(e) that the order suffers from arbitrariness. (103-H; 104-A-B(

Kehar Singh and Anr. v. Union of India and Anr., (1989) I SCC 204;
Swaran Singh v. State of U.P., (1998) 4 SCC 75; Satpal and Anr. v. State of

•
Haryana and Ors., (2000) 5 SCC 170; Bikas Chatterjee v. Union of India, E
[2004) 7 SCC 634 and Mansukhlal Vithaldas Chauhan v. State of Gujarat,
[1997) 7 sec 622, referred to.

1.4. The question whether reasons can or cannot be disclosed to the
Court when the same is challenged was not the subject matter for
consideration. In any event, the absence of any obligation to convey the reasons F
does not mean that there should not be le~itimate or relevant reasons for
passing the order. Since there is a power of judicial review, however, limited
it may be, the same can be rendered to be an exercise in futility in the absence
of reasons. (105-E; 106-E I

Ashok Kumar@ Golu v. Union of India and Ors., [1991( 3 SCC 498 G
and Kehar Singh and Anr. v. Union of India and Anr., (1989( I SCC 204 and
S.R. Bommai and Ors. v. Union of India and Ors., (1994) 3 SCC I, referred
to.

Padfield and Ors. v. Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and H
84 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (2006] SUPP. 7 S.C.R.

A Ors., 1196811 All E.R. 694 and Muhammad Sharif v. Federation of Pakistan,
(PLD (1988) Lah 725, referred to.

2.1. Sections 14 and 21 of the General Clauses Act deal with powers
conferred to be exercisable from time to time and a power to issue, to include
power to add to, amend, vary or rescind notifications, orders, rules or bye-
B laws.1107-CI

Sampat Prakash v. State of J & K, AIR (1970) SC 1118 and, referred
to.

"Pardon and Parole" by Corpus Juris Secundum, Volume 67-A,
C referred to.

2.2. If it comes to the knowledge of the Government that the pardon has
been obtained on the basis of manifest mistake or patent misrepresentation
or fraud, the same can be rescinded or cancelled. [108-Fl

D 3.1. In the instant case, the Collector does not appear to have made any
independent enquiry on his own. In the report, the District Probation officer
has stated that if Respondent No.2 is prematurely released his life would be
safe because his wife is a sitting MLA and she is having a police security.
Further he was having a strong hold in the village and there is no opposition
E in the village. The portion of the report shows as to how extraneous materials
•
which had no relevance formed the foundation of the report. [113-A, Bl

R. v. Secretary of State for the Home Department, ex parte Bentley,
11993] 4 All E.R. 442, referred to.

F "Judicial Review of Administrative Action" (Fifth Edition) by Lord
Woolf and "The Constitution of United States of America", referred to.

3.2. The Superintendent of Police has, in his report, stated that there
will be no reaction in the village and the town if the pri:>oner releases
prematurely. Before the elections, the same officer had earlier reported that
G on account of respondent No.2's release on parole, there was likelihood of
breach of peace and law and order if he visits Nandikotkur Assembly
Constituency. The only reason why a pariah becomes a messiah appears to be
the change in the ruling pattern. With such pliable bureaucracy, there is need
for deeper scrutiny when power of pardon/remission is exercised. 1114-D, E]
3.3. The question of the convict being a "good Congress Worker" has
H
EPURU SUDHAKAR v. GOVT. OF A.P. 85

"' no relevance to the objects sought to be achieved i.e. consideration of the A
question whether pardon/remission was to be granted. Equally surprising is
the statement to the effect that during enquiry it was revealed that the convict
is Congress worker and by political conspiracy he was defeated in the
elections conducted earlier. (114-B, CJ
3.4. It appears that in the petition filed by respondent No. 3 there is no
B
mention about pendency of a Criminal case. The counsel for the respondent
No.I-State submitted that though this fact was not mentioned by respondent
No.3 in the petition yet the State Government considered the effect of the
pendency of that petition. This certainly is a serious matter because a person
who seeks exercise of highly discretionary power of a high constitutional
authority, has to show bona fides and must place materials with clean hands. c
(114-E, FJ
4. When the principles of law are considered in the factual background
it is clear that irrelevant and extraneous materials entered into the decision
making process, thereby vitiating it. The order granting remission which is
impugned in the petitions is clearly unsustainable and is set aside. However, D
it is open to respondent No. I to treat the petition as a pending one for the
. t
purpose of re-consideration. It shall be open to the Governor to take note of
materials placed before him by the functionaries of the State, and also to make
such enquiries as considered necessary and relevant for the purpose of
ascertaining the relevant factors otherwise. (11-G-H; 115-A)
E
Per Kapadia, J. (Supplementing):
I.I. Pardons, reprieves and remissions are manifestation of the exercise
of prerogative power. These are not acts of grace. They are a part of
Constitutional scheme. When a pardon is granted, i.t is the determination of
the ultimate authority that public welfare will be better served by inflicting
less than whatthe judgment has fixed. (115-C) F
1.2. The power to grant pardons and reprieves was traditionally a Royal
prerogative and was regarded as an absolute power. At the same time, even in
the earlier days, there was a general rule that if the King is deceived, the
pardon is void, therefore, any separation of truth or suggestion of falsehood
vitiated the pardon. Over the years, the manifestation of this power got diluted. G
(115-D, E)

1.3. Exercise of Executive clemency is a matter of discretion and yet
subject to certain standards. It is not a matter of privilege. It is a matter of
,.r 'I' performance of official duty. It is vested in the President or the Governor, as
H
86 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (2006] SUPP. 7 S.C.R.
/lo
A the case may be, not for the benefit of the convict only, but for the welfare of
the people who may insist on the performance of the duty. This discretion,
therefore, has to be exercised on public consideration alone. The President
and the Governor are the sole judges of the sufficiency of facts and of the
appropriateness of granting the pardons and reprieves. However, this power
is an enumerated power in the Constitution and its limitations, if any, must
B be found in the Constitution itself. Therefore, the principle of Exclusive
Cognizance would not apply when and if the decision impugned is in derogation
of a Constitutional provision. This is the basic working test to be applied while
granting pardons, reprieves, remissions and commutation. (115-F, G, HJ ,,
c conviction,
1.4. Granting of pardon is in no sense an overturning of a judgment of
but rather it is an Executive action that mitigates or set aside the
punishment for a crime. It eliminates the effect of conviction without
addressing the defendants guilt or innocence. The controlling factor in
determining whether the exercise of prerogative power is subject to judicial
review is not its source but its subject mstter. [116-A, BJ
D
2. Rule of Law is the basis for evaluation of all decisions. The supreme
1-
quality of the Rule of Law is fairness and legal certainty. The principle of
legality occupies a central plan in the Rule of Law. Every prerogative has to
be Rule of Law. That rule cannot be compromised on the grounds of political
expediency. To go by such considerations would be subversive of the
E fundamental principles of the Rule of Law and it would amount to setting a
dangerous precedent. The Rule of Law principle comprises a requirement of
"Government according to law". The ethos of"Government according to law"
requires the prerogative to be exercised in a manner which is consistent with
the basic principle of fairness and certainty. Therefore, the power of executive
F clemency is not only for the benefit of the convict, but while exercising such
a power the President or the Governor, as the case may be, has to keep in
mind the effect of his decision on the family of the victims, the society as a
whole and the precedent it sets for the future. [l 16-C, D, EJ
3.1. It is important to bear in mind that every aspect of the exercise of
G
the power under Article 72 as also under Article 161 of the Constitution does
not fall in the judicial domain. In certain cases, a particular aspect may not
be justiciable. However, even in such cases there has to exist requisite
material on the basis of which the power is exercised under Article 72 or
..
under Article 161 of the Constitution, as the case may be. In the circumstances,
one cannot draw the guidelines for regulating the exercise of the power.
H [116-G, HJ ' --.
EPURU SUDHAKAR v. GOVT. OF A.P. (PASA YAT. J.] 87

3.2. The Constitutional justification for judicial review, and the A
vindication of the Rule of Law remain constant in all areas, but the mechanism
for giving effect to that justification varies. (117-C(

3.3. There is a clear symmetry between the Constitutional rationale for
review of statutory and prerogative power. In each case, the courts have to
ensure that the authority is used in a manner which is consistent with the B
Rule of Law, which is the fundamental principle of good administration. In
each case, the Rule of Law should be the overarching constitutional
justification for judicial review. The exercise of prerogative power cannot be
placed in straight jacket formulae and the perceptions regarding the extent
and amplitude of this power are bound to vary. However, when the impugned C
decision does not indicate any data or manageable standards, the decision
amounts to derogation of an important Constitutional principle of Rule of Law.
(117-C, D, El

CIVIL ORIGINAL JURISDICTION : Writ Petition (Cr!) Nos. 284-285 of
2005.
D
Under Article 32 of the Constitution of India.

Jaideep Gupta, .soli J. Sorabjee (A.C.) Mukul Rohtagi, Veera Reddy,
C.S.N. Mohan Roa, P.H. Parekh (A.C.) Sumit Goel, Rukmani Bobde, Gargi
Hazarika and A. Srinivasan for the Petitioners.
E
Ranjit Kumar, D. Bharathi Reddy, P. Vinay Kumar and Sneha Bhaskaran
for the Respondents.

T.R. Andhyarujina, Altaf Ahmad, G.N. Reddy, Asis and V.G. Pragasam
for the Respondents 2 & 3.
F
The Judgment of the Court was delivered by

ARIJIT PASAYAT, J. Challenge in this writ petition under Article 32 of
the Constitution of India, 1950 (in short the 'Constitution') is to the order
passed by Government of Andhra Pradesh, represented by its Principal
Secretary whereby Gowru Venkata Reddy-respondent No.2 was granted G
remission of unexpired period of about seven years imprisonment. GOMs.
No.170 dated 11.8.2005 in this regard is challenged.

Factual scenario as per petitioners is as follows:

Petitioner No. I is the son of late Sh. Epuru Chinna Ramasubbaiah who H
88 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2006] SUPP. 7 S.C.R.

A was murdered along with another person on 19.10.1995. Petitioner No.2 claims
to be the son of one late Sh. Tirupati Reddy who was allegedly murdered by
respondent No.2 while he was on bail in the murder case of father of petitioner
No. I. In the case relating to the murder of late Sh. Epuru Chinna Ramasubbaiah
and one Ambi Reddy, respondent No.2 faced trial and ultimately the matter
came before this Court in Criminal Appeal Nos. 519-521 of 2003 which was
B disposed of by this Court by judgment dated 19.11.2003 and the conviction
of respondent No.2 was altered from one under Section 302 of the Indian
Penal Code, 1860 (in short the '!PC') to Section 304(1) read with Section I09
!PC and custodial sentence of I 0 years' rigorous imprisonment was imposed.
Conviction relating to some other sentences was maintained. On 28.5.2003,
C the respondent No.3 wife of respondent No.2 submitted a representation for
grant of parole to respondent No.2 and on 18.10.2003 parole was granted for
a period of 15 days but the same was cancelled on 30.10.2003 by the State
Government in view of the report sent by Superintendent of Police, Kurnool
that on account ofrespondent No.2's release on parole there was a likelihood
of breach of peace and law and order if the respondent No.2 visits Nandikotkur
D Assembly Constituency. Respondent No.3 contested the election to the Andhra
Pradesh Assembly Election and on 12.5.2004 was elected as member of
Legislative Assembly. On 14.5.2004 she made a representation for grant of
parole to respondent No.2. Same was granted on 19.5.2004 and was extended
from time to time. On 18.7.2004 fourth extension for 15 days was granted. On
E I0.10.2004 respondent No.3 made a representation to respondent No. I seeking
pardon to respondent No.2 by exercise of power under Article 161 of the
Constitution alleging that he was implicated in false cases due to political
rivalry. On 18.10.2004 during the pendency of the petition for pardon, one
month parole was granted. On 11.8.2005 the Governor of Andhra Pradesh
purportedly exercised power under Article 161 of the Constitution and granted
F remission of the unexpired sentence of respondent No.2. Director General and
Inspector General of Police (Correction Services) Andhra Pradesh were directed
to take action for release of respondent No.2 and in fact on 12.8.2005 the
Superintendent of Central Prison, Cherlapally, R.R. District directed release of
respondent No.2.
G The writ petition has been filed inter alia alleging that the grant of
remission (described in the writ petition as grant of pardon) was illegal,
relevant materials were not placed before the Governor, and without application
of mind impugned order was passed. The recommendations made for grant of
remission were based on irrelevant and extraneous materials. The factual
H scenario has not been placed before the Governor in the proper perspective. ..
EPURUSUDHAKAR v. GOVT. OF A.P. [PASA YAT.J.] 89
The sole basis on which respondent No.3 asked for pardon was alleged A
implication in false cases due to political rivalry. In view of this Court's
judgment holding the respondent No.2 guilty, the said plea could not have
been even considered as a basis for grant of pardon. Since the grant of
pardon is based on consideration of irrelevant materials and non-consideration
of relevant materials the same is liable to be set aside.
B
Learned counsel for the respondent-State and respondent Nos.2 and 3
has strenuously contended that the petition is the outcome of a political
vendetta. All relevant materials have been taken into account by the Governor,
a high constitutional authority who passed the order granting remission. It
is submitted that the petitioner has confused between pardon and remission C
of sentence. It is a case where materials existed which warranted the grant of
remission and this Court should not interfere in the matter. Considering the
limited scope for judicial review the writ petition deserves to be dismissed.

Considering the fact that in large number of cases challenge is made to
the grant of pardon or remission, as the case may be, we had requested Mr. D
Soli J Sorabjee to act as Amicus Curiae. He has highlighted various aspects
relating to the grant of pardon and remission, as the case may be, and the
scope for judicial review in such matters. He has suggested that considering
the frequency with which pardons and/or the remission are being granted, in
the present political scenario of the country it would be appropriate for this
Court to lay down guidelines so that there is no scope for making a grievance E
about the alleged misuse of power.

Learned counsel for the respondents on the other hand submitted that
though in Maru Ram v. Union of India & Ors., [I 98 I] I SCC I 07 this Court
had indicated certain recommendatory guidelines, the same did not find
F
acceptance in Kehar Singh and Anr. v. Union of India and Anr., (1989] I SCC
204. As a matter of fact in a later decision in Ashok Kumar® Golu v. Union
of India and Ors., (1991] 3 SCC 498 the alleged apparent inconsistencies in
the view was highlighted and a 3-Judge Bench held that laying down guidelines
would be inappropriate.
G
The relevant constitutional provisions regarding the grant of pardon,
remissions, suspension of sentence, etc. by the President of India and the
Governor of a State are as follows:

"Article 72. Power of President to grant pardons, etc. and to suspend,
remit or commute sentences in certain cases (I) The President shall H
90 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (2006] SUPP. 7 S.C.R.

A have the power to grant pardons, reprieves, respites or remissions of
punishment or to suspend, remit or commute the sentence of any
person convicted of any offence

(a) in all cases where the punishment or sentence is by a Court
Martial;
B
(b) in all cases where the punishment or sentence is for an offence
against any law relating to a matter to which the executive power
of the Un ion extends;
(c) in all cases where the sentence is a sentence of death.

C (2) Nothing in sub-clause {a) of clause (I) shall affect the power
conferred by law on any officer of the Armed Forces of the Union to
suspend, remit or commute a sentence passed by a Court Martial.

(3) Nothing in sub-clause (c) of clause (I) shall affect the power to
suspend, remit or commute a sentence of death exercisable by the
D Governor of a State under any law for the time being in force."

"Article I 61 Power of Governor to grant pardons, etc., and to suspend,
remit or commute sentences in certain cases-The Governor of a State
shall have the power to grant pardons, reprieves, respites or remissions
of punishment or to suspend, remit or commute the sentence of any
E person convicted of any offence against any law relating to a matter
to which the executive power of the State extends."

The provision corresponding to Article 72 in the Government of India
Act I935 (in short 'the Government Act') was Section 295 which reads as
follows:
F
"(I) Where any person has been sentenced to death in a Province, the
Governor-General in his discretion shall have all such powers of
suspension, remission or commutation of sentence as were vested in
the Governor-General in Council immediately before the commencement
of Part Ill of this Act, but save as aforesaid no authority in India
G outside a Province shall have any power to suspend, remit or commute
the sentence of any person convicted in the Province.

Provided that nothing in this sub-section affects any powers of
any officer of His Majesty's forces to suspend, remit or commute a
sentence passed by a Court-Martial.
H
EPURU SUDHAKAR v. GOVT. OF A.P. [PASAYA T.J.] 91

(2) Nothing in this Act shall derogate from the right of His Majesty, A
or of the Governor-General, if any such right is delegated to him by
His Majesty, to grant pardons, reprieves, respites or remissions of
punishment."

There was no provision in the Government Act corresponding to Article
161 of the Constitution. B
The above constitutional provisions were debated in the Constituent
Assembly on 29th December 1948 and 17th September 1949 [see Constituent
Assembly Debates, Vol.7, pages 1118-1120 and Vol. 10, page 389]. The grounds
and principles on which these powers should be exercised were neither
discussed nor debated [See Framing of India's Constitution: A Study, 2" C
Edition, Dr. Subhash C Kashyap, pages 367-371 , pages 397-399].

In addition to the above constitutional provisions the Code of Criminal
Procedure 1973 (in short 'Cr.P.C.') provides for power to suspend or remit
sentences and the power to commute sentence in Section 432 and Section 433 D
respectively.

Section 433A lays down restnct1ons on prov1s1ons of remission or
commutation in certain cases mentioned therein. Section 434 confers concurrent
power on the Central Government in case of death sentence.
E
Section 435 provides that the power of the State Government to remit
or commute a sentence where the sentence is in respect of certain offences
specified therein will be exercised by the State Government only after
consultation with the Central Government.

Sections 54 and 55 of IPC confer power on the appropriate Government F
to commute sentence of death or sentence of imprisonment for life as provided
therein.

Sections 432 and 433 Cr.P.C. read as follows:

"432. Power to suspend or remit sentences.( I) When any person has G
been sentenced to punishment for an offence, the appropriate
Government may, at any time, without conditions or upon any
conditions which the person sentenced accepts, suspend the execution
of his sentence or remit the whole or any part of the punishment to
which he has been sentenced.
H
92 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2006] SUPP. 7 S.C.R.

A (2) Whenever an application is made to the appropriate Government
for the suspension or remission of a sentence, the appropriate
Government may require the presiding Judge of the Court before or
by which the conviction was had or confirmed, to state his opinion
as to whether the application should be granted or refused, together
with his reasons for such opinion and also to forward with the
B statement of such opinion a certified copy of the record of the trial
or of such record thereof as exists.

(3) If any condition on which a sentence has been suspended or
remitted is, in the opinion of the appropriate Government, not fulfilled,
the appropriate Government may cancel the suspension or remission,
c and thereupon the person in whose favour the sentence has been
suspended or remitted may. if at large, be arrested by any police
officer, without warrant and remanded to undergo the unexpired portion
of the sentence.

(4) The condition on which a sentence is suspended or remitted under
D this section may be one to be fulfilled by the person in whose favour
the sentence is suspended or remitted, or one independent of his will.

(5) The appropriate Government may by general rules or special orders,
give directions as to the suspension of sentences and the conditions
on which petitions should be presented and dealt with:
E
Provided that in the case of any sentence (other than a sentence
of fine) passed on a male person above the age of eighteen years, no
such petition by the person sentenced or by other person on his
behalf shall be entertained, unless the person sentenced is in jail and,-

F (a) where such petition is made by the person sentenced, it is
presented through the officer in charge of the jail; or

(b) where such petition is made by any other person it contains a
declaration that the person sentenced is in jail.

G (6) The provisions of the above sub-sections shall also apply to any
order passed by a Criminal Court under any section of this Code or
of any other law which restricts the liberty of any person or imposes
any liability upon him or his property.

(7) In this section and in section 433, the expression "appropriate
H Government" means,- •
EPURU SUDHAKAR v. GOVT. OF A.P. [PASAYA T. J.] 93

(a) in cases where the sentence is for an offence against, or the order A
referred to in sub-section (6) is passed under, any law relating to a
matter to which the executive power of the Union extends, the Central
Government;

(b) in other cases the Government of the State within which the
offender is sentenced or the said order is passed. B
433. Power to com mule sen/ence. _The appropriate Government may,

.... without the consent of the person sentenced, commute-

(a) a sentence of death, for any other punishment provided by the
Indian Penal Code (45of1860); C
(b) a sentence of imprisonment for life, for imprisonment for a term not
exceeding fourteen years or for fine;

(c) a sentence of rigorous imprisonment for simple imprisonment for
any term to which that person might have been sentenced, or for fine; D
(d) a sentence of simple imprisonment for fine".

The philosophy underlying the pardon power is that "every civilized
country recognizes, and has therefore provided for, the pardoning power to
be exercised as an act of grace and humanity in proper cases. Without such E
a power of clemency, to be exercised by some department or functionary of
a government, a country would be most imperfect and deficient in its political
morality, and in that attribute of Deity whose judgments are always tempered
with mercy." [See 59 American Jurisprudence 2d, page 5].

The rationale of the pardon power has been felicitously enunciated by F
the celebrated Justice Holmes of the United States Supreme Court in the case
of Biddle v. Perovich in these words [71 L. Ed. 1161at1163):

"A pardon in our days is not a private act ofgrace from an individual
happening to possess power. It is a part of the constitutional scheme.
When granted, it is the determination of the ultimate authority that G
the public welfare will be better served by inflicting less than what
the judgment fixed. "

(emphasis added)

"Pardon and Parole" as per Corpus Juris Secundum (Vol.67-A) reads as H
94 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2006] SUPP. 7 S.C.R.

A follows: (Pages 16 and 17)
"The pardoning power is founded on considerations of the public
good, and is to be exercised on the ground that the public welfare,
which is the legitimate object of all punishment, will be as well promoted
by a suspension as by an execution of the sentence. It may also be
B used to the end that justice be done by correcting injustice, as where
after-discovered facts convince the official or board invested with the
power that there was no guilt or that other mistakes were made in the

C
operation or enforcement of the criminal law. Executive clemency also
exists to afford relief from undue harshness in the operation or
enforcement of criminal law."
-
Interests of society and convict

(I) Acts of leniency by pardon are administered by the executive
branch of the government in the interests of society and the discipline,
education, and reformation of the person convicted. III- People v.
D Nowak, 35, N.E. 2d 63, 387 III, II.

(2) A pardon is granted on the theory that the convict has seen the
error of his ways, that society will gain nothing by his further
confinement and that he will conduct himself in the future as an
upright, law-abiding citizen.
E
Matter known to counsel

The pardoning power is set up to prevent injustice to a person
who has been convicted, especially when the facts of such injustice
were not properly produced in the trial court, but such power is not
F a proper remedy on account of failure to use any matter which was
known to defendant or his counsel and was available at time of new .
trial motion.

Showing that convection was on perjured testimony

G "Pardon and Parole" as stated in AMERICAN JURISPRUDENCE (Second
Edition) (Volume 59) reads as follows:

/. INTRODUCTORY

I. History of pardoning power.
H
EPURU SUDHAKAR v. GOVT. OF A.P. [PASA YAT •.I.) 95

t Every civilized country recognizes, and has therefore provided for, the A
pardoning power to be exercised as an act of grace and humanity in
proper cases. Without such a power of clemency, to be exercised by
some department or functionary of a Government, a country would be
most imperfect and deficient in its political morality, and in that attribute
of Deity whose judgments are always tempered with mercy. In England,
this power has been exercised from time immemorial, and has always
B
been regarded as a necessary attribute of sovereignty. In the United
States, this power is extended to the President by the United States
Constitution, and in the various states and territories it is either
J
conferred by constitutional provision or organic act, or provided for
by statute, the power usually being conferred upon the governor or c
upon a board of which the governor is a member. In some instances,
however, the governor's power is so limited as to render an arbitrary
exercise impossible.

2. Validity of contract to procure pardon; criminal liability. While
the earlier cases uniformly held agreements to secure a pardon, parole, D
or commutation of sentence illegal irrespective of the services rendered
or contemplated, the more recent decisions take the view that such
contracts are valid or invalid according to the character of the services
contemplated. Although there is some conflict of opinion, contracts
entered into to obtain a pardon, parole, or commutation of sentence
have generally been upheld where the services contemplated are not E
other than the proper presentation of the case before the pardoning
power."

Reprieve

A reprieve, from the French word "reprendre," to take back, is the F
withdrawing of a sentence for an interval of time, whereby the execution
is suspended. It is merely the postponement of the execution of a
sentence for a definite time, or to a day certain. It does not and cannot
defeat the ultimate execution of the judgment of the court, but merely
delays it temporarily. Reprieves at common law are of three kinds:
G
I. ex mandala regis, from the mere pleasure of the Crown;

2. ex arbitrio judicis, the power to grant which belongs of common
right to every tribunal which is invested with authority to award

- '-.,
execution; and
H
96 SUPREME COURT REPORTS {2006) SUPP. 7 S.C.R.

A 3. ex necessitate legis, required by law to be granted under certain
circumstances, as when a woman convicted of a capital offence alleges
pregnancy of a quick child in delay of execution, or when a prisoner
has become insane between the time of sentence and the time fixed
for execution.

B In Sir William Wades' Administrative Law (Ninth Edition) the position
relating to pardon is stated as follows:

"The royal prerogative

The prerogative powers of the Crown have traditionally been said to
c confer discretion which no court can question; and there was long a
dearth of authority to the contrary. But it may be that this was
because the decided cases involved discretions which are, as has
been laid down in the House of Lords, inherently unsuitable for
judicial review, 'such as those relating to the making of treaties, the
defence of the realm, the prerogative of mercy, the grant of honours,
D the dissolution of Parliament and the appointment of ministers as well
as others'. But at the same time the House of Lords held that the court
could review a ministers action (forbidding trade union membership
by certain civil servants) under authority delegated to him by
prerogative Order in Council, so that the principles of natural justice
E would apply. Administrative action was held to be reviewable in
proceedings against the responsible minister without distinction as to
the origin of the power, whether statute or common law. In later cases
it was held that the dismissal of a civil servant involved 'a sufficient
public law element' to be subject to Judicial review and that an unfair
compensation award by the civil service appeal board should be
F quashed. So now it may be said that the royal prerogative does not
per se confer unreviewable discretion, but that many of the powers
contained in it will be of a kind with which the courts will not concern
themselves. It may be the prerogative acts of the Crown itself, though
taken on the advice of ministers are immune from review, whereas the
G action of ministers, though authorised by delegation of prerogative
power, is reviewable. But this is an artificial distinction, and if the case
were strong enough even an Order in Council might prove to be
reviewable in a declaratory judgment.

These propositions are founded on the wide definition of
H prerogative which has been criticized earlier. The making of treaties,
•
EPURU SUDHAKAR v. GOVT. OF A.P. [PASA YAT, J.] 97
.. for example, has no effect on the law of this country, so that there is A
no exercise of power which can concern the courts. It might be called
prerogative without power, while the employment of civil servants
might be called power without prerogative. A case where there may
be neither prerogative nor power is the grant and refusal of passports,
which has been claimed to be wholly within the prerogative and
discretion of the Crown. A passport is merely an administrative device, B
the grant or cancellation of which probably involves no direct legal
consequences, since there appears to be no justification for supposing
that, in law as opposed to administrative practice, a Citizen's right to
leave or enter the country is dependent upon the possession of a
passport. The arbitrary power claimed by the Crown has now been C
made subject to judicial review along with various other non-legal
powers discussed later. Other countries were ahead of Britain in
protecting this necessary civil right.

At least it is now judicially recognised that prerogative power is
as capable of abuse as is any other power, and that the law can D
sometimes find means of controlling it. The prerogative has many
times been restricted both by judicial decision and by statute. It is for
the court to determine the legal limits of the prerogative, and they may
include the same requirement of reasonable and proper exercise as
applies to statutory powers though with this difference, that it cannot
be based upon the presumed intention of Parliament. In one unusual E
case, where a Parliamentary basis could be found because action
taken by a minister under a treaty was held to be impliedly prohibited
by a statute," Lord Denning MR discussed the nature of the prerogative
and said:
Seeing that the prerogative is a discretionary power to be F
exercised for the public good, it follows that its exercise can be
examined by the courts just as any other discretionary power
which is vested in the executive.
Then after citing cases of abuse of statutory power he concluded:
G
Likewise it seems to me that when discretionary powers are
entrusted to the executive by the prerogative-in pursuance of
the treaty-making power the courts can examine the exercise of
them so as to see that they are not used improperly or mistakenly.
Although this last remark was said in the House of Lords to be 'far H
98 SUPREME COURT REPORTS 12006] SUPP. 7 S.C.R.

A too wide', in today's atmosphere it seems clear that the court would
entertain a complaint that, for example, a royal pardon had been
obtained by fraud or granted by mistake or for improper reasons. The
High Court has gone so far as to review a decision of the Home
Secretary not to recommend a posthumous free pardon for a youth
hanged for murder forty years previously, on the ground that he
B considered only an unconditional pardon and failed to take account
of other possibilities. Although the court made no order or declaration
and merely invited the Home Secretary to look at the matter again,
it clearly took a long step towards judicial review of the prerogative
of mercy. For example it was clear that the Home Secretary had
C refused to pardon someone solely on the ground of their sex, race
or religion, the courts wou Id be expected to interfere and our judgment

D
would be entitled to do so.

In New Zealand the Court of Appeal has held that the prerogative
power of pardon is not reviewable 'at any rate at present', but that
the position might change justice so required; that the prerogative
-
character of the power did not exempt it from review; but that the
existing legal and administrative safeguards were adequate so that
an extension of judicial review was unnecessary.

A further question is whether the law should concern itself with
E the Crown's exercise of the ordinary powers and liberties which all
persons possess, as in the making of contracts and the conveyance
of land. It has hitherto been assumed that in this area the Crown has
the same free discretion as has any other person. But where such
powers are exercised for governmental purposes it is arguable that
the courts should be prepared to intervene, as a matter of public
F
ethics, as a safeguard against abuse. They do not allow local
authorities to act arbitrarily or vindictively in evicting tenants, letting ••
sports grounds or placing advertisements, for example. Those are
technically statutory powers (since all local authorities are statutory),
but they correspond to ordinary powers and liberties. If, as the

-
G House of Lords holds, the source of power is irrelevant, it would not
seem impossible for judicial review to be extended to this 'third
source' of public power which is neither statutory nor prerogative
but is a remnant from the days of personal government. But the
'grotesquely undemocratic idea that public authorities have a private
capacity is deeply embedded in our legal culture', and such judicial
H
EPURU SI JDllAKA.R 1·. GOVT. OF AP. jl'ASA YAT . .I.] 99
authority as there is. is not encouraging. A
We shall deal with the extent of power for judicial review as highlighted
by learned counsel for the parties and learned Amicus Curie before we deal
with the factual scenario.

It is fairly well settled that the exercise or non-exercise of pardon B
power by the President or Governor, as the case may be. is not immune from
judicial review. Limited judicial review is available in certain cases.

.• In Maru Ram's case (supra) it was held that all public power, including
constitutional power, shall never be exercisable arbitrarily or mala fide and,
ordinarily, guidelines for fair and equal execution are guarantors of the valid C
play of power.

.. It is noteworthy that in Kehar Singh 's case (supra) the contention that
the power of pardon can be exercised for political consideration was
unequivocally rejected. In Maru Ram's case (supra) it was held that
consideration of religion. caste, colour or political loyalty are totally irrelevant D
and fraught with discrimination.

In Kehar Singh's case (supra) it was held that the order of the President
cannot be subjected to judicial review on its merits except within the strict
limitations delineated in Maru Ram's case (supra). The function of determining E
whether the act of a constitutional or statutory functionary falls within the
constitutional or legislative conferment of power, or is vitiated by self-denial
on an erroneous appreciation of the full amplitude of the power is a matter

- for the court.

In Kehar Singh 's case (supra), placing reliance on the doctrine of the
division (separation) of powers it was pleaded, that it was not open to the
F

judiciary to scrutinize the exercise of the "mercy" power. In dealing with this
submission this Court held that the question as to the area of the President's
power under Article 72 falls squarely within the judicial domain and can be
examined by the court by way of judicial review.
G
As regards the considerations to be applied to a petition for pardon/
remission in Kehar Singh 's case (supra) this Court observed as follows:

"As regards the considerations to be applied by the President to the
petition. we need say nothing more as the law in this behalf has
already been laid down by this Court in Maru Ram." H
]00 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (2006] SUPP. 7 S.C.R.

A In the case of Swara11 Si11gh v. State of U. P., [ 1998) 4 SCC 75 after
referring to the judgments in the cases of Mani Ram's case (supra) and
Kehar Si11gh 's case (supra) this Court held as follows:

"we cannot accept the rigid contention of the learned counsel for the
third respondent that this court has no power to touch the order passed
B by the Governor under Article 161 of the Constitution. If such power
was exercised arbitrarily, ma/a fide or in absolute disregard of the
finer canons of the constitutional ism, the by-product order cannot get
the approval of law and in such cases, the judicial hand must be
stretched to it."

C The factual scenario in Swaran Singh 's case (supra) needs to be noted.
One Doodh Nath was found guilty of murdering one Joginder Singh and was
convicted to imprisonment for life. His appeals to the High Court and Special
Leave Petition to this Court were unsuccessful. However, within a period of
less than 2 years the Governor of Uttar Pradesh granted remission of the
D remaining long period of his life sentence. This Court quashed the said order
of the Governor on the ground that when the Governor was not posted with
material facts, the Governor was apparently deprived of the opportunity to
exercise the powers in a fair and just manner. Conversely, the impugned
order, it was observed "fringes on arbitrariness".

E The Cowt held that if the pardon power "was exercise arbitrarily, ma/a
fide or in absolute disregard of the finer canons of the constitutionalism, the
by-product order cannot get the approval of law and in such cases, the judicial
hand must be stretched to it". The Cou1t further observed that when the order
of the Governor impugned in these proceedings is subject to judicial review
within the strict parameters laid down in Maru Ram's case (supra) and
F reiterated in Kehar Singh 's case (supra): "we feel that the Governor shall
reconsider the petition of Doodh Nath in the light of those materials which
he had no occasion to know earlier.", and left it open to the Governor of
Uttar Pradesh to pass a fresh order in the light of the observations made by
this Court.
G
In the case of Satpal and Anr. v. State of Ha1J1ana and Ors., [2000) 5
SCC 170, this Court observed that the power of granting pardon under Article
161 is very wide and does not contain any limitation as to the time at which
and the occasion on which and the circumstances in which the said powers
could be exercised.
H
EPURU SUDHAKAR v. GOVT. OF A.P. [PASA YAT, .I.] 101
Thereafter the Court held as follows: A
"... the said power being a constitutional power conferred upon the
Governor by the Constitution is amenable to judicial review on certain
limited grounds. The Court, therefore, would be justified in interfering
with an order passed by the Governor in exercise of power under
Article 161 of the Constitution if the Governor is found to have B
exercised the power himself without being advised by the Government
or if the Governor transgresses the jurisdiction in exercising the same
or it is established that the Governor has passed the order without
application of mind or the order in question is mala fide one or the
Governor has passed the order on some extraneous consideration." C
The principles of judicial review on the pardon power have been re-stated in
the case of Bikas Chatterjee v. Union of India, [2004] 7 SCC 634.

In Mansukhlal Vithaldas Chauhan v. State of Gujarat, [1997] 7 SCC
622 it was inter-alia held as follows:
D
"25. This principle was reiterated in Tata Cellular v. Union of
India, [1994] 6 SCC 651 in which it was, inter alia, laid down that
the Court does not sit as a court of appeal but merely reviews the
manner in which the decision was made particularly as the Court
does not have the expertise to correct the administrative decision. If E
a review of the administrative decision is permitted, it will be
substituting its own decision which itself may be fallible. The Court
pointed out that the duty of the Court is to confine itself to the
question of legality. Its concern should be:

I. Whether a decision-making authority exceeded its powers?; p
2. committed an error of law;

3. committed a breach of the rules of natural justice;

4. reached a decision which no reasonable tribunal would have reached;
or G
5. abused its powers.

26. In this case, Lord Denning was quoted as saying: (SCC pp. 681-
82, para 83)

"Parliament often entrusts the decision of a matter to a specified H
102 SUPREME COURT REPORTS 12006) SUPP. 7 S.C.R.

A person or body, without providing for any appeal. It may be a
judicial decision, or a quasi-judicial decision, or an administrative
decision. Sometimes Parliament says its decision is to be final.
At other times it says nothing about it. In all these cases the
courts will not themselves take the place of the body to whom
Parliament has entrusted the decision. The courts will not
B themselves embark on a rehearing of the matter. See Healey v.
Minister of Health. ( 1955) 1 QB 221 ).''

27. Lord Denning further observed as under: (p. 682)

"If the decision-making body is influenced by considerations
C which ought not to influence it; or fails to take into account
matters which it ought to take into account, the court will interfere.
See Padfield v. Minister of Agriculture. Fisheries and Food,
(1968 AC 997). (emphasis supplied)"

28. In Sterling Computers Ltd v. M& N Publications Ltd, [ 1993]
D sec 445 it was pointed out that while exercising the power of judicial
review, the Court is concerned primarily as to whether there has been
any infirmity in the decision-making process? In this case, the
following passage from Professor Wade's Administrative Law was
relied upon: (SCC p. 457, para 17)

E "The doctrine that powers must be exercised reasonably has to
be reconciled with the no less important doctrine that the court
must not usurp the discretion of the public authority which
Parliament appointed to take the decision. Within the bounds of
legal reasonableness is the area in which the deciding authority
has genuinely free discretion. If it passes those bounds, it acts
F ultra vires. The court must therefore resist the temptation to
draw the bounds too tightly, merely according to its own opinion.
It must strive to apply an objective standard which leaves to the
deciding authority the full range of choices which legislature is
presumed to have intended."
G (emphasis supplied)

29. It may be pointed out that this principle was also applied by
Professor Wade to quasi-judicial bodies and their decisions. Relying
upon decision in R. v. .Justices of London (1895) 1 QB 214. Professor
Wade laid down the principle that where a public authority was given
H
EPURU SUDHAKAR 1·. GOVT. OF A.P. [PASA YAT . .I.) l 03

power to determine matter, Mandamus would not lie to compel it to A
reach some particular decision.

30. A Division Bench of this Court comprising Kuldip Singh and
B.P. Jeevan Reddy, JJ. in U.P. Financial Corpn. v. Gem Cap (India)
(PJ Ltd, (1993] 2 SCC 299 observed as under: (SCC pp. 306-07, para
II) B
"11. The obligation to act fairly on the part of the
administrative authorities was evolved to ensure the rule of
law and to prevent failure of justice. This doctrine is
complementary to the principles of natural justice which the
quasi-judicial authorities are bound to observe. It is true that C
the distinction between a quasi-judicial and the administrative
action has become thin, as pointed out by this Court as far
back as 1970 in A.K. Kraipak v. Union of India, (1969] 2
SCC 262. Even so the extent of judicial scrutiny/judicial
review in the case of administrative acti,on cannot be larger D
than in the case of quasi-judicial action. If the 1-ligh Court
cannot sit as an appellate authority over the decisions and
orders of quasi-judicial authorities it follows equally that it
cannot do so in the case of administrative authorities. In the
matter of administrative action, it is well known, more than
one choice is available to.the administrative authorities; they E
have a certain amount of discretion available to them. They
have 'a right to choose between more than one possible
course of action upon which there is room for reasonable
people to hold differing opinions as to which is to be
preferred'. (Lord Diplock in Secy. of State for Education F
and Science v. Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council
(1977) AC 1014 at p.1064.) The Court cannot substitute its
judgment for the judgment of administrative authorities in
such cases. Only when the action of the administrative
authority is so unfair or unreasonable that no reasonable
person would have taken that action, can the Court intervene." G

(emphasis supplied)

The position, therefore, is undeniable that judicial review of the order
of the President or the Governor under Article 72 or Article 161, as the case
may be, is available and their orders can be impugned on the following H
104 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2006] SUPP. 7 S.C.R.

A grounds:
(a) that the order has been passed without application of mind;

(b) that the order is ma/a fide;

(c) that the order has been passed on extraneous or wholly irrelevant
B considerations;

(d) that relevant materials have been kept out of consideration;

(e) that the order suffers from arbitrariness

C Two important aspects were also highlighted by learned Amicus Curiae;
one relating to the desirability of indicating reasons in the order granting
pardon/remission while the other was an equally more important question
relating to power to withdraw the order of granting pardon/remission, if
subsequently, materials are placed to show that certain relevant materials
were not considered or certain materials of extensive value were kept out of
D consideration. According to learned Amicus Curiae, reasons are to be indicated,
in the absence of which the exercise of judicial review will be affected.

So far as desirability to indicate guidelines is concerned in Ashok
Kumar's case (supra) it was held as follows :

E "17- In Kehar Singh 's case (supra) on the question of laying down
guidelines for the exercise of power under Article 72 of the constitution
this Court observed in paragraph I6 as under: (SCC pp. 217-18, para
I 6)

"It seems to us that there is sufficient indication in the terms
F of Article 72 and in the history of the power enshrined in
that provision as well as existing case law, and specific
guidelines need not be spelled out. Indeed, it may not be
possible to lay down any precise, clearly defined and
sufficiently channelised guidelines, for we must remember
G that the power under Article 72 is of the widest amplitude,
can contemplate a myriad kinds and categories of cases with
facts and situations varying from case to case, in which the
merits and reasons of State may be profoundly assist by
prevailing occasion and passing time. And it is of great
significance that the function itself enjoys high status in the
H constitutional scheme".
EPURU SUDHAKAR v. GOVT. OF A.P. [PASA YAT . .I) I 05
These observations do indicate that the Constitution Bench which A
decided Kehar Singh 's case (supra) was of the view that the language
of Article 72 itself provided sufficient guidelines for the exercise of
power and having regard to its wide amplitude and the status of the
function to be discharged thereunder, it was perhaps unnecessary to
spell out specific guidelines since such guidelines may not be able to B
conceive of all myriads kinds and categories of cases which may
come up for the exercise of such power. No doubt in Maru Ram's
case (supra) the Constitution Bench did recommend the framing of
guidelines for the exercise of power under Articles 72/161 of the
Constitution. But that was a mere recommendation and not ratio
decidendi having a binding effect on the Constitution Bench which C
decided Kehar Singh 's case (supra). Therefore, the observation made
by the Constitution Bench in Kehar Singh 's case (supra) does not
upturn any ratio laid down in Maru Ram's case (supra). Nor has the
Bench in Kehar Singh "s case (supra) said any thing with regard to
using the provisions of extant Remission Rules as guidelines for the
exercise of the clemency powers." D
In Kehar Singh 's case (supra) this Court held that:

'There is no question involved in the case of asking for reasons for
the Presidents' Order".
E
The same obviously means that the affected party need not be given the
reasons. The question whether reasons can or cannot be disclosed to the
Court when the same is challenged was not the subject matter of consideration.
In any event, the absence of any obligation to convey the reasons does not
mean that there should not be legitimate or relevant reasons for passing the
order. F

In SR. Bommai and Ors. v. Union of India and Ors., [1994) 3 SCC I
in the context of exercise of power under Article 356 of the Constitution it
was observed at page I 09, para 87 as follows:

"When the Proclamation is challenged by making out a prima facie G
case with regard to its invalidity, the burden would be on the Union
Government to satisfy that there exists material which showed that
the Government could not be carried on in accordance with the
provision of the Constitution. Since such material would be exclusively
within the knowledge of the Union Government, in view of the H
I06 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2006] SUPP. 7 S.C.R.

A provision of Section 106 of the Evidence Act, the burden on proving
the existence of such material would be on the Union Government."

The position if the Government chooses not to disclose the reasons or
the material for the impugned action was stated in the words of Lord Upjohn
in the landmark decision in Padfield and Ors. v. Minister of Agriculture,
B Fisheries and Food and Ors., [1968] 1 All E.R. 694) at p.719:

" ... if he does not give any reason for his decision it may be, if
circumstances warrant it, that a court may be at liberty to come to the
conclusion that he had no good reason for reaching that conclusion .. "

C The same approach was adopted by Justice Rustam S. Sidhwa of the
Lahore High Court in Muhammad Sharif v. Federation of Pakistan (PLD
1988 Lah 725) where at p.775 para 13 the learned Judge observed as follows:

"I have no doubt that both the Governments are not compelled to
disclose all the reasons they may have when dissolving the Assemblies
D under Articles 58 (2)(b) and I 12(2)(b). lf they do not choose to
disclose all the material, but only some, it is their pigeon, for the case
will be decided on a judicial scrutiny of the limited material placed
before the Court and if it happens to be totally irrelevant or extraneous,
they must suffer."

E Justice Sidhwa's aforesaid observations have been referred to and
approved in S.R. Bommai's case (supra).

Since there is a power of judicial review, however, limited it may be,
the same can be rendered to be an exercise in futility .in the absence of
F reasons.

The logic applied by this Court in Bommai's case (supra) in the context
of Article 74(2) is also relevant. lt was observed in paras 153 and 434 as
follows:
-
"153-Article 74(2) is not a bar against the scrutiny of the material on
G the basis of which the President had arrived at his satisfaction.

434- Article 74(2) merely bars an enquiry into the question whether
any and if so, what advice was tendered by the Ministers to the
President. It does not bar the court from calling upon the Union
Council of Ministers (Union of India) to disclose to the cou11 the
H
EPURU SUDI IAKAR v. GOVT. OF A I' [PASA YAT. J. ! 107

material upon which the President had formed the requisite satisfaction. A
The material on the basis of which advice was tendered does not
become pai1 of the advice. Even if the material is looked into by or
shown to the President, it does not partake the character of advice."

So far as the second aspect relating to withdrawal is concerned, it is
submitted that though there is no specific reference in this regard in either B
Article 72 or Article 161 of the Constitution yet by application of the provisions
of the General Clauses Act, 1897 (in short the 'General Clauses Act') the
same would be permissible. It is also highlighted that similar provisions are
specifically provided in Sections 432 and 433 Cr.P.C. Merely because Article
72 and Article 161 of the Constitution have not been so provided specifically C
that would not mean that such power was not intended to be exercised.

Sections 14 and 21 of the General Clauses Act deal with powers
conferred to be exercisable from time to time and a power to issue, to include
power to add to, amend, vary or rescind notifications, orders, rules or bye-
laws. They read as follows: D
"14. Powers conferred lo be exercisableji-om time to time- (I) Where,
by any Central Act or Regulation made after the commencement of
this Act, any power is conferred then unless a different intention
appears that power may be exercised from time to time as occasion
~~ E
(2) This section applies also to all Central Acts and Regulations made
on or after the fourteenth day of January, 1887.

21. Power to issue, to include power to add to, amend, vmy or rescind
notifications, orders, rules or bye-laws- Where, by any Central Act or F
Regulation, a power to issue notifications orders, rules or bye-laws is
conferred, then that power includes a power, exercisable in the like
manner and subject to the like sanction and conditions (if any), to add
to, amend, vary or rescind any notifications, orders, rules or bye-laws
so issued."
G
The scope and ambit of Sections 14 and 21 of the General Clauses Act
have been analysed by this Court in Sampat Prakash v. State of J & K, AIR
(1970) SC 1118. It was inter alia held in para 11 as follows:

"I I - This provision is clearly a rule of interpretation which has been H
108 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2006] SUPP. 7 S.C.R.

A made applicable to the Constitution in the same manner as it applied
to any Central Act or Regulation. On the face of it. the submission
that Section 21 cannot be applied to the interpretation of the
Constitution will lead to anomalies which can only be avoided by
holding that the rule laid down in this section is fully applicable to
all provisions of the Constitution."
B
Section 432 (3) of Cr.P.C. reads as follows:

"If any condition on which a sentence has been suspended or
remitted is, in the opinion of the appropriate Government, not fulfilled,
the appropriate Government may, cancel the suspension or remission,
c and thereupon the person in whose favour the sentence has been
suspended or remitted may, if at large, be arrested by any police
officer, without warrant and remanded to undergo the unexpired
po11ion of the sentence."

D The position in U.S.A. is summed up in Volume 67A Corpus Juris Secundum,
p.21 para 16 as follows:

"There is authority for the view that a pardon may be held void
where it appears from the pardon that the pardoning power was
misinformed; but there is also authority for the view that intentional
E falsehood or suppression of truth is necessary, and that misinformation
given in good faith and in the belief in its truth is insufficient to avoid
a pardon ...... A pardon procured by false and fraudulent representations
or by intentional suppression of the truth is void, even though the
person pardoned had no pa11 in perpetrating the fraud."

F Inevitable conclusion, therefore, is that if it comes to the knowledge of
the Government that the pardon has been obtained on the basis of manifest
mistake or patent misrepresentation or fraud, the same can be rescinded or
cancelled.

G In R. v. Secretary of State for the Home Department, ex parte Bentley,
[1993] 4 All E.R. 442 it was held:

"(I) The court had jurisdiction to review the exercise of the royal
prerogative of mercy by the Home Secretary in accord with accepted
public law principles since the exercise of the prerogative was an
important feature of the criminal justice system and a decision by the
H ...
Home Secretary which was infected with legal errors ought not to be
EPURU SUDHAKAR v. GOVT. OF J\.P. [l'ASAYAT . .1. J ] 0?

immune from legal challenge merely because it involved an element A
of policy or was made under the prerogative.

(2) The Horne Secretary's decision not to recommend a posthumous
pardon for the applicant's brother was flawed because, in considering
whether to grant a posthumous pardon, he had failed to recognise the
fact that the prerogative of mercy was capable of being exercised in B
many different circumstances and over a wide range and had failed
to consider the form of pardon which might be appropriate.
Furthermore, there was no objection in principle to the grant of a
posthumous conditional pardon where a death sentence had already
been carried out, as the grant of such a pardon represented recognition C
by the state that a mistake had been made and that a reprieve should
have been granted. Since the Home Secretary's failure to consider the
grant of a posthumous conditional pardon when the previous Home
Secretary's decision not to grant a reprieve had been clearly wrong
amounted to an error of law, the court, while making no order on the
application, wou Id invite the Home Secretary to reconsider his D
decision.

At page 452 of the Reports it was held as follows:

"The Court of Appeal (Cooke P, Gauk and McKay JJ) dismissed the
appeal but in doing so it said ((1992] 3 NZLR 672 at 678, 681 ): E
'The prerogative of mercy is a prerogative power in the strictest
sense of that term, for it is peculiar to the Crown and its exercise
directly affects the rights of persons. On the other hand it would be
inconsistent with the contemporary approach to say that, merely
because it is a pure and strict prerogative power, its exercise or non- F
exercise must be immune from curial challenge. There is nothing
heterodox in asserting, as counsel for the appellant do, that the rule
of law requires that challenge shall be permitted in so far as issues
arise of a kind with which the Courts are competent to deal ... In the
end the issue must turn on weighing the competing considerations, a
number of which we have stated. Probably it cannot be said that any G
one answer is necessarily right; it is more a matter of a value or
conceptual judgment as to the place in the law and the effectiveness
or otherwise of the prerogative of mercy at the present day. In
attempting such a judgment it must be right to exclude any lingering
thought that the prerogative of mercy is no more than an arbitrary H
110 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [20061 SUPP. 7 S.C.R.

A monarchial right of grace and favour. As developed it has become an
integral element in the criminal justice system, a constitutional
safeguard against mistakes.'

xx xx xx xx

B "Mr Pan nick relies on this passage. He argues that the prerogative
of mercy is exercised by the Home Secretary on behalf of us all.
It is an important feature of our criminal justice system. It would
be surprising and regrettable in our developed state of public law
were the decision of the Home Secretary to be immune from
legal challenge irrespective of the gravity of the legal errors
c which infected such a decision. Many types of decisions made
by the Home Secretary do involve an element of policy (eg
parole) but are subject to review.
We accept these arguments. The CCSU case made it clear that the
powers of the court cannot be ousted merely by invoking the word
D 'prerogative', The question is simply whether the nature and subject
matter of the decision is amenable to the judicial process".

In "JUDICIAL REVIEW OF ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION" (Fifth
Edition) by the Retired Hon'ble the Lord Woolf it has been noted as follows:

E '"Other former prerogative powers should not any more, however,
automatically be assumed to be non-justiciable. It is noticeable that
one of the prerogative powers assumed by Lord Roskill in the GCHQ
case to be non-justiciable, the prerogative of mercy, has since been
judicially reviewed. In R. v. Secretary of State for the Home
Department. ex p Bentley, the applicant applied for review of the
F Home Secretary's decision not to pardon her brother who had been
sentenced to death and hanged 39 years earlier. The applicant .,.
contended that the Horne Secretary had erred in law in his approach
to the issue in that he considered that the grant of free pardon required
the finding that her brother was morally and technically innocent,
G where the right question to be asked was whether in all the
circumstances the punishment imposed should have been suffered. It
was held that the decision ought to be based upon accepted public
law principles and not be immune from legal challenge, despite the
element of policy in the decision. The Home Secretary's failure to
consider the grant of a posthumous pardon when the previous Home
H
El'URU SUDHAKAR r. GOVT. OF A.P. [PASAYAT. J.j 111

Secretary's decision had been wrong was held to be a clear error of A
law. The court broke new ground in this case, guided only by a recent
decision of the New Zealand Court of Appeal".

In '"THE CONSTITUTION OF UNITED STATES OF AMERICA" (Analysis
and Interpretation) ''Pardons and Reprieves" have been stated as follows:
B
'"The legal Nature of a l'ardo11

In the first case to be decided concerning the pardoning power,
Chief Justice Marshall, speaking for the Court, said: "As this power
had been exercised from time immemorial by the executive of that
nation whose language is our language, and to whose judicial C
institution ours bear a close resemblance; we adopt their principles
respecting the operation and effect of a pardon, and look into their
books for the rules prescribing the manner in which it is to be used
by the person who would avail himself of it. A pardon is an act of
grace, proceeding from the power entrusted with the execution of the D
laws, which exempts the individual, on whom it is bestowed, from
the punishment the law inflicts for a crime he has committed. It is the
private, though official act of the executive magistrate delivered to
the individual for whose benefit it is intended, and not communicated
officially to tire Court .... A pardon is a deed, to the validity of which
delivery is essential, and delivery is not complete without acceptance. E
It may then be rejected by the person to whom it is tendered; and if
it be rejected, we have discovered no power in a court to force it on
him." Marshall continued to hold that to be noticed judicially this
deed must be pleaded, like any private instrument.

In the case of Burdick v. United States, Marshall's doctrine was F
put to a test that seems to have overtaxed it, perhaps fatally. Burdick,
having declined to testify before a federal grand jury on the ground
that his testimony would tend to incriminate him was proffered by
President Wilson "a full and unconditional pardon for all offenses
against the United States," which he might have committed or G
participated in connection with the matter he had been questioned
about. Burdick, nevertheless, refused to accept the pardon and persisted
in his contumacy with the unanimous support of the Supreme Court.
"The grace of a pardon," remarked Justice McKenna sententiously,
"may be only a pretense ... involving consequences of even greater
.. disgrace than those from which it purports to relieve. Circumstances H
112 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2006] SUPP. 7 S.C.R.

A may be made to bring innocence under the penalties of the law. If so
brought, escape by confession of guilt implied in the acceptance of
a pardon may be rejected." Nor did the Court give any attention to
the fact that the President had accompanied his proffer to Burdick
with a proclamation. although a similar procedure had been held to
bring President Johnson's amnesties to the Court's notice. In 1927,
B however, in sustaining the right of the President to commute a sentence
of death to one of life imprisonment. against the will of the prisoner,
the Comt abandoned this view. '·A pardon in our days," it said, "is
not a private act of grace from an individual happening to possess
power. It is a pait of the constitutional scheme. When granted it is the
c detem1ination of the ultimate authority that the public welfare will be
better served by inflicting less than what the judgment fixed." Whether
these words sound the death knell of the acceptance doctrine is perhaps
doubtful. They seem clearly to indicate that by substituting a
commutation order for a deed of pardon, a President can always have
his way in such matters, provided that substituted penalty is authorised
D by law and does not in common understanding exceed the original
penalty.

Coming to the factual position it is noticed that the various materials
were placed before the Governor when the request for grant of pardon/
E remission was processed at various levels. The views of the District level
officials were obtained. Since they fonned the basis of impugned order, it is
relevant to take note of some interesting features. The three District level
officials were Superintendent of Police, the District Collector, Kunoor and
the District Probation Officer. Apart from that, the views of the Superintendent
of jail, Central Prison, Cherlapally were obtained. The Collector's report
F refers to the report given by the Superintendent of Police and reproduces the
same in the report contained in letter dated 9.12.2004. He also refers the
letter dated 8.12.2004 of the Revenue Divisional Officer who according to
him had indicated no objection to release of respondent No. 2 on premature
basis as his conduct and character was good and he lead ordinary life during
G the period of his escort parole from 19.5.2004 to 7.8.2004 and the free parole
from 20. I 0.2004 to 6.11.2004. Only on that basis the District Collector
recommended premature release.

According to learned counsel for the State this was sufficient as the
Collector had to act on some material and he acted on the reports of the
H Superintendent of Police and the Revenue Divisional officer. The plea is
EPURU SUDHAKAR 1·. GOVT. Of A.I'. [!'ASAY AT. J.) 113

clearly unacceptable. The Collector does not appear to have made any A
independent enquiry on his own. The report of District Probation officer is
very interesting. In his report he has stated that if he (Respondent No. 2) is
prematurely released his life would be safe because his wife is a sitting MLA
and she is having a police security. Further he was having a strong hold in
the village and there is no opposition in Bramhanakotkur village. Following B
portion of his repo1t shows as to how extraneous materials which had no
relevance fo1111ed the foundation of his report.

"The convict Gouru Venkata Reddy S/o Janardhan Reddy, Central
Prison Cherlapalli belongs to Upper Caste Reddy's family of
Brahmanakotkur (Village) Nandikotkur Manda! and Taluk. The father C
of the convict was Janardhan Reddy and mother was Gouru Lakshmi
Devi and during enquiry it is revealed that both were dead. The grand
mother of convict Smt. Ratnamma is old, aged and there is no male
person in the house to look after her. She desires that the convict
should come and provide medical treatment to her.
D
In the past the convict contested in the elections and was defeated
with small margin. During enquiry it is revealed that the convict is
Congress Worker and due to political conspiracy he was defeated. In
the elections conducted later on the wife of convict Smt. Saritha
Reddy contested and was elected. During enquiry it is revealed that
the matters mentioned in the application of the wife of the convict are E
true. The convict has two sisters. The deceased K. Rama Subbaiah
and Ambi Reddy belong to Nandikotkur village. In this murder case
the convict is not involved but due to political reasons his name was
implicated in the case by producing false witnesses and sent to the
Jail. But later they realized their mistake and the family members of F
the deceased are maintaining cordial relations. During enquiry it is
revealed that there is no danger to the life of the convict from the
villagers and also there is no danger to the villagers from the convict
if the convict is released as stated by the Presideilt of the village Shri
Shaik Ziauddin, Village Secretary Sri Sanjanna, village elders Shri
Nagaswamy Reddy, Sri K. Venkata Rami Reddy, Shri Khajamoinuddin G
and Sri Pathan Moutali etc.

As seen from the past history of the convict he is not a naxalite,
dacoit, and habitual offender. He was peacefully carrying out
agricultural activities and a good Congress Worker. He used to provide
employment to a number of persons through agriculture. It is also H
114 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2006] SUPP. 7 S.C.R.

A revealed that the villagers are having good opinion on the convict. ''

(underlined for emphasis)
•
Apart from apparently wrong statement made that respondent No. 2
was maintaining cordial relationship with the family members of the deceased,
B he has highlighted that he was a ·'good Congress Worker". Further there is
an inference that he was not involved in the murder was falsely implicated
and false witnesses were produced. This inference on the fact of this Cott11' s
judgment is utterly fallacious. The question of his being a ''good Congress
Worker'' has no relevance to the objects sought to be achieved i.e. consideration
of the question whether pardon/remission was to be granted. Equally surprising
C is the statement to the effect that during enquiry it was revealed that the
convict is Congress worker and by political conspiracy he was defeated in the
elections conducted earlier.

The report of the Superintendent of Police is equally interesting. He has
D stated that there will be no reaction in Brahmana Kotkur village and
Nandikotkur town ifthe prisoner releases on prematurely. The report is dated
6.12.2004. Before the elections. the same officer had reported that on account
of respondent No. 2's release on parole. there was likelihood of breach of
peace and law and order if he visits Nandikotkur Assembly Constituency.
The only reason why a pariah becomes a messiah appears to be the change
E in the ruling pattern. With such pliable bureaucracy, there is need for deeper
scrutiny when power of pardon/remission is exercised.

It appears that in the petition filed by respondent No. 3 there is no
mention about pendency ofa Criminal case No. 411 of2000. Learned counsel
for the respondent No. I-State submitted that though this fact was not
F mentioned by the respondent No. 3 in the petition yet the State Government
considered the effect of the pendency of that petition. This certainly is a
serious matter because a person who seeks exercise of highly discretionary
power of a high constitutional authority, has to show bona }ides and must
place materials with clean hands.
G When the principles of law as noted above are considered in the factual
background it is clear that the irrelevant and extraneous materials entered
into the decision making process, thereby vitiating it.

The order granting remission which is impugned in the petitions is
H clearly unsustainable and is set aside. However, it is open to the respondent
EPURU SUDHAKAR v. GOVT. OF A.I'. [KAPADIA, J.] 115

No. I to treat the petition as a pending one for the purpose of re-consideration. A
It shall be open to the Governor to take note of materials placed before him
by the functionaries of the State, and also to make such enquiries as considered
necessary and relevant for the purpose of ascertaining the relevant factors
otherwise. The writ petitions are allowed to the extent indicated above. No
costs.
B
KAPADIA, J. Although, I respectfully agree with the conclusion
containing the opinion of brother, Arijit Pasayat, the importance and intricacies
of the subject matter, namely, judicial review of the manner of exercise of
prerogative power has impelled me to elucidate and clarify certain crucial
aspects. Hence this separate opinion.
c
Pardons, reprieves and remissions are manifestation of the exercise of
prerogative power. These are not acts of grace. They are a part of Constitutional
scheme. When a pardon is granted, it is the determination of the ultimate
authority that public welfare will be better served by inflicting less than what
the judgment has fixed. D
The power to grant pardons and reprieves was traditionally a Royal
prerogative and was regarded as an absolute power. At the same time, even
in the earlier days, there was a general rule that if the King is deceived, the
pardon is void, therefore, any separation of truth or suggestion of falsehood
vitiated the pardon. Over the years, the manifestation of this power got diluted. E
The power to grant pardons and reprieves in India is vested in the
President and the Governor of a State by virtue of Articles 72 and 161 of the
Constitution respectively.

Exercise of Executive clemency is a matter of discretion and yet subject F
to certain standards. It is not a matter of privilege. It is a matter of performance
of official duty. It is vested in the President or the Governor, as the case may
be, not for the benefit of the convict only, but for the welfare of the people
who may insist on the performance of the duty. This discretion, therefore, has
to be exercised on public consideration alone. The President and the Governor G
are the sole judges of the sufficiency of facts and of the appropriateness of
granting the pardons and reprieves. However, this power is an enumerated
power in the Constitution and its limitations, if any, must be found in the
Constitution itself. Therefore, the principle of Exclusive Cognizance would
not apply when and if the decision impugned is in derogation of a
.- Constitutional provision. This is the basic working test to be applied while H
116 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2006) SUPP. 7 S.C.R.

A granting pardons, reprieves, remissions and commutation.
Granting of pardon is in no sense an overturning of a judgment of
conviction, but rather it is an Executive action that mitigates or set aside the
punishment for a crime. It eliminates the effect of conviction without
addressing the defendants guilt or innocence. The controlling factor in
B determining whether the exercise of prerogative power is subject to judicial
review is not its source but its subject matter. It can no longer be said that
prerogative power is ipso facto immune from judicial review. An undue
exercise of this power is to be deplored. Considerations of religion, caste or
political loyalty are irrelevant and fraught with discrimination. These are /
C prohibited grounds. Rule of Law is the basis for evaluation of all decisions.
The supreme quality of the Rule of Law is fairness and legal certainty. The
principle of legality occupies a central plan in the Rule of Law. Every
prerogative has to be the subject to the Rule of Law. That rule cannot b~
compromised on the grounds of political expediency. To go by such
considerations would be subversive of the fundamental principles of the Rule
D of Law and it would amount to setting a dangerous precedent. The Rule of
Law principle comprises a requirement of "Government according to law".
The ethos of "Government according to law" requires the prerogative to be
exercised in a manner which is consistent with the basic principle of fairness
and certainty. Therefore, the power of executive clemency is not only for the
E benefit of the convict, but while exercising such a power the President or the
Governor, as the case may be, has to keep in mind the effect of his decision
on the family of the victims, the society as a whole and the precedent it sets
for the future.

The power under Article 72 as also under Article 161 of the Constitution
F · is of the widest amplitude and envisages myriad kinds and categories of cases
with facts and situations varying from case to case. The exercise of power
depends upon the facts and circumstances of each case and the necessity or
justification for exercise of that power has to be judged from case to case. It
is important to bear in mind that every aspect of the exercise of the power
under Article 72 as also under Article 161 does not fall in the judicial domain.
G In ce1tain cases, a particular aspect may not be justiciable. However, even in
such cases there has to exist requisite material on the basis of which the
power is exercised under Article 72 or under Article 161 of the Constitution,
as the case may be. In the circumstances, one cannot draw the guidelines for
regulating the exercise of the power.
H
EPURU SUDHAKAR \'.GOVT. or A.P. [KAPADIA, J.] 117

As stated above. exercise or non-exercise of the pow~r of pardon by the A
President or the Governor is not immune from judicial review. Though, the.
circumstances and the criteria to guide exercise of this power may be infinite,
one principle is definite and admits of no doubt, namely, that the impugned
decision must indicate exercise of the power by application of manageable
standards and in such cases courts will not interfere in its supervisory
jurisdiction. By manageable standards we mean standards expected in
B
functioning democracy. A pardon obtained by fraud or granted by mistake or
granted for improper reasons would invite judicial review. The prerogative
power is the flexible power and its exercise can and should be adapted to
meet the circumstances of the particular case. The Constitutional justification
for judicial review, and the vindication of the Rule of Law remain constant c
in all areas, but the mechanism for giving effect to that justification varies.

In conclusion, it may be stated that, there is a clear symmetry between
the Constitutional rationale for review of statutory and prerogative power. In
each case, the courts have to ensure that the authority is used in a manner
which is consistent with the Rule of Law, which is the fundamental principle D
of good administration. In each case, the Rule of Law should be the overarching
constitutional justification for judicial review. The exercise of prerogative
power cannot be placed in straight jacket formulae and the perceptions
regarding the extent and amplitude of this power are bound to vary. However,
when the impugned decision does not indicate any data or manageable
E
standards, the decision amount to derogation of an important Constitutional
principle of Rule of Law.

We appreciate the assistance rendered by Mr. Soli J. Sorabjee as amicus
curiae in this matter.
F
With these words,. I agree with the conclusions in the opinion of brother,
Arij it Pasayat.

S.K.S. Petition Partly allowed.