DALER SINGH Vs. STATE OF PUNJAB

JUDGEMENT

(1.) THE plight of convicts languishing in jails, after conviction, during the pendency of the appeals, on account of previous fixture of work has always been a matter of great concern for the Courts and of the protagonists of Human Rights, alike. The present case is also of the like nature.

(2.) APPLICANT -appellant Daler Singh is praying for suspension of substantive sentence awarded to him under section 15 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 (for short 'the Act') primarily on the ground that he has by now already undergone more than seven years of his sentence out of the awarded substantive sentence of 12 years and that besides that the appeal is not likely to be heard in near future.

(3.) WE have heard Mr. K.S.Dhaliwal, learned counsel for the applicant-appellant and Mr. K.S.Boparai, Additional Advocate General, Punjab assisted by Mr. M.S.Sidhu, Senior Deputy Advocate General, Punjab and have also sought the assistance of Advocate General, Haryana, Senior Standing Counsel, Union of India and Senior Standing Counsel, Union Territory, Chandigarh on the point. Consequently, Mr. H.S.Hooda, learned Advocate General, Haryana, assisted by Mr. Siddharth Batra, AAG Haryana, Mr. RS Rai, Senior Standing Counsel, U.T. Chandigarh and Mr. D.D.Sharma, Standing Counsel, Union of India have been given audience on behalf of respective States.