Chennai, Sep 9 (UNI) The Tamil Nadu Government on Sunday adopted a resolution at the State Cabinet recommending to Governor Banwarilal Purohit to release all the seven life convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi
assassination case under Article 161 of the Constitution.
A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting of the Cabinet, Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar told reporters.
Mr Jayakumar said the decision recommending to the Governor to release all the convicts--Sriharan alias Murugan, Santhan, Perarivalan alias Arivu, Nalini, Robert Pyas, Ravichandran and Jayakumar, who were languishing in jail for the last 27 years--was taken in line with the Supreme Court order.
He said based on the Apex Court order, which had asked the Governor to consider his mercy plea for premature release, the Cabinet has decided to recommend to the Governor to release all the convicts under Article 161 of the Constitution.
Stating that the Cabinet decision would be recommended to the Raj Bhavan immediately--today itself--Mr Jayakumar said the Governor should compulsorily accept it. 'There was no need for the Governor to reject it...he will
accept it as it is based on the Supreme Court's order', he added.

Stating that the Centre's concurrence was not needed for their release, Mr Jayakumar said there was no ground for
the Governor to delay in ordering their release.
He also exuded confidence that the Governor would take the decision immediately.
The Minister said the entire opinion of Tamil Nadu was that all the seven convicts should be released and based on that the Cabinet has taken a decision.
Mr Jayakumar said the steps taken by late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, who had adopted a resolution in the State
Assembly for their release and also wrote letters to the Centre in this regard four years back, has strengthened
the Supreme Court's verdict.

The Cabinet resolution comes three days after the Supreme Court asked the Governor to consider the plea of A G Perarivalan seeking premature release, while disposing of a petition filed by the Centre.
After a two hour-long meeting, in which resolutions demanding naming of Chennai Central Station after AIADMK Founder and late Chief Minister MGR and Bharat Ratna for Jayalalithaa were also adopted, Dr Jayakumar said.
The meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami  and attended by Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam and State  Ministers, besides Chief Secretary Ms Girija Vaidyanathan, at the State Secretariat, was convened after the State government held detailed consultations with the legal experts on the issue.
A Bench of Justices Ranjan Gogoi, Naveen Sinha and K M Joseph of Apex Court had on Thursday disposed of a plea filed by the Centre opposing the State government's proposal for the release of the convicts,
and asked the Governor to consider the mercy plea of Perarivalan.
With the Cabinet clearing the decks for their release, the focus now shifts to Raj Bhavan for the Governor to decide on the release under Article 161 of the Constitution.
Leaders of various political parties welcomed the Cabinet resolution and hoped that the Governor would soon take a decision.
Perarivalan's mother Arputhammal also welcomed the Cabinet resolution and said it has strengthened her hopes of her son getting released along with others.

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