SC to hear Bilkis Bano case from August 7

New Delhi, July 17

The Supreme Court on Monday said it will commence from August 7 the final hearing of petitions challenging the premature release of 11 men convicted of raping Bilkis Bano and killing her family members due to incomplete procedural formalities on account of non-serving of notices to some of the convicts.

Noting that the pleadings had been completed and all the convicts had been served notices through newspaper publications or directly, a Bench led by Justice BV Nagarathna asked all the parties to file short written submissions, synopsis and list of dates and posted the matter for final hearing on August 7.

The Supreme Court had on May 9 deferred the hearing due to incomplete procedural formalities on account of non-serving of notices to some of the convicts. It had directed that the convicts, who could not be served notices, be served through publication of notices in Gujarati and English newspapers.