New Delhi: The Supreme Court of India has disposed of a criminal appeal that had served as the vehicle for directing the creation of an automated, uniform, pan-India software module to govern the premature release of life convicts, following the National Informatics Centre’s (NIC) launch of the resulting platform, known as the E-Prisons Early Release Processing Module.
The order was passed on May 29, 2026, by a five-Judge Bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices J.K. Maheshwari, Pankaj Mithal, Joymalya Bagchi, and Vipul M. Pancholi.
The background to the order lies in an earlier judgment dated April 13, 2026, rendered by a two-Judge Bench comprising Justices J.K. Maheshwari and Atul S. Chandurkar in the same appeal (reported as 2026 INSC 414). The Bench had recognised the need for an automated and uniform module to process applications for the premature release of life convicts across the country and had issued comprehensive directions in paragraph 22 of the judgment, including a direction to the NIC to develop such software.
Pursuant to those directions, and following consultations with all relevant stakeholders, the NIC developed and launched the E-Prisons Early Release Processing Module. With the software now operational, and responsibility for its implementation having been assigned to the State Legal Services Authorities in collaboration with prison departments and other designated authorities of the respective State Governments, the five-Judge Bench observed that the proceedings in the original appeal had served their purpose and accordingly passed a formal order closing the matter.
Before disposing of the appeal, the Bench formally placed on record its appreciation for the contributions of Mr. K. Parameshwar, Senior Advocate, who had been appointed as Amicus Curiae, and Mr. Ravi Raghunath, Advocate, who assisted him. The Court acknowledged that their initiative had been instrumental in prompting the NIC to undertake the software project on a pilot basis at the Central Jail, Agra, and the District Jail, Lucknow, before facilitating its nationwide rollout.
All pending applications in the matter, including those seeking intervention and impleadment, were directed to stand closed.
Case Title: Surendra @ Sunda v. The State of Uttar Pradesh, Criminal Appeal No. 2217 of 2026.
