The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked the Centre to decide on the Tamil Nadu government’s proposal to cancel the jail sentences of seven convicts in Rajiv Gandhi assassination case. The court gave the Central government three months’ time to convey its stand on the matter, reported ANI.

The Tamil Nadu government had written to the Centre on March 2, 2016, 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.

In April 2016, the Centre had declined the Tamil Nadu government’s proposal to release the seven prisoners. The Ministry of Home Affairs had said the state does not have the authority to release the convicts since the matter is sub-judice.