The Centre on Wednesday declined the Tamil Nadu government's proposal to release seven prisoners charged with assassinating former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, reported Hindustan Times. The Ministry of Home Affairs said the state does not have the authority to release the convicts since the matter is sub-judice.

The Jayalalithaa-led state government had written to the Centre on March 2 expressing its intent to release Perarivalan, Murugan, Santhan, Nalini, Robert Pious, Jayakumar and Ravichandran – all serving life terms for assassinating Gandhi in 1991. The state had said that they were ready to release the convicts as they have served 24 years in prison.

Tamil Nadu had approached the central government after the Supreme Court nixed its plan to remit the life sentences of the accused on December 2, 2015. The apex court had said that the power to remit a life sentence lies with the Union of India and not with a particular state, hence the state government must consult with the Centre before letting the convicts go.