The Supreme Court of India has dealt a blow to the Gujarat government by rejecting its plea for a review of the January 8 verdict in the Bilkis Bano case. This verdict, which had sparked considerable controversy, led to the re-imprisonment of 11 convicts who had been released earlier. The Gujarat government had challenged the verdict, arguing that the Supreme Court had made certain observations against the state, which it deemed unfair.
In its order dismissing the review petition, the Supreme Court stated that it found “no error apparent on the face of the record or any merit in the review petitions, warranting reconsideration of the order impugned.” The court concluded that the review petitions were, therefore, dismissed.
The Gujarat government’s plea had centered around the January 8 verdict, which held the state government guilty of “usurpation of power” and “abuse of discretion” for complying with an order of another top court bench. The government argued that there was an “error apparent on the face of the record” based on three main points.
The Supreme Court’s decision to reject the Gujarat government’s review petition marks a significant development in the Bilkis Bano case. It signals that the court is not willing to reconsider its earlier verdict, which had been widely seen as a setback for the state government. This decision is likely to have far-reaching implications for the ongoing legal battle surrounding the case.
