NAIB SINGH vs STATE OF PUNJAB & ORS.

The Supreme Court ruled that a prisoner sentenced to 'imprisonment for life' under Section 302 IPC is not entitled to be released after 14 years of rigorous imprisonment unless a specific order commuting the sentence is made under Section 55 IPC or Section 433(b) CrPC. The Court clarified that 'imprisonment for life' means rigorous imprisonment for life, and the execution of such a sentence is valid within local jails as per the provisions of the Prisoners Act, 1900. The Court held that the absence of a formal commutation order does not automatically entitle the prisoner to release after 14 years, emphasizing the need for adherence to statutory provisions regarding life sentences.