Zahid Hussein & Ors vs State Of West Bengal And Anr

The Supreme Court ruled that life imprisonment does not automatically end after 20 years, as established in Article 161 of the Constitution and relevant case law, including Gopal Vinayak Godse v. State of Maharashtra (1961) and State of Madhya Pradesh v. Ratan Singh (1976). The Court held that the State Government has discretion in granting premature release, which must consider various factors including the convict's conduct and the nature of the crime. The petitions for premature release were dismissed as the State's rejection was deemed appropriate based on the circumstances of the case.