The Supreme Court has made it clear that it will not grant any more adjournments in the plea filed by Rajiv Gandhi assassination convict AG Perarivalan seeking release from the prison based on the recommendation made by Tamil Nadu government in September 2018.

A bench headed by Justice L Nageswara Rao adjourned the matter after Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Central government, requested for an
adjournment. Senior Advocate Gopal Sankaranarayan, appearing for Perarivalan, said that since Perarivalan had been in custody for 30 years some relief should be granted to him. The bench then posted the matter in January. The Central government had earlier apprised the apex court that the Tamil Nadu Governor, after considering all the facts on record and relevant documents, said that the President of India is the "appropriate competent authority" to deal with the pardon plea of AG Perarivalan, a convict in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case.