Chennai: The Madras high court on Monday wondered why the Tamil Nadu government was opposing the parole application moved by Rajiv Gandhi assassination case life convict A.G. Perarivalan, while the state cabinet has recommended the release of all seven convicts in the case.“Your cabinet has recommended his release in toto. Then why are you opposing his application for parole for one month?”“Do not oppose for the sake of opposing,” a division bench, comprising Justices N. Kirubakaran and V.M. Velumani said to public prosecutor (PP) A. Natarajan.The PP said that he was not opposing for the sake of doing so. He opposed parole as the applicant must have valid reasons to seek parole.He pointed out that Perarivalan was out on leave last year and that as per prison rules, a prisoner becomes eligible for the next parole only after three years.“Moreover, the prison doctor has made it very clear in his report that though the prisoner suffered a series of illnesses, he is currently under medication for the same and he is stable,” Natarajan said.Senior counsel Shanmugasundaram for the petitioner pointed out that there is a provision in the prison rules under which the state can exempt a prisoner from such conditions and grant parole.“There are such exemptions, but the same cannot be granted on medical grounds”, Natarajan added.The bench refused to accept the contention and said that if rules prohibit leave on medical grounds, then such rules have become redundant.“It has to be updated. Do you mean to say illnesses are not extraordinary situations?”, the bench asked.The court then directed the Tamil Nadu government and the petitioner to file an affidavit on the current status of the Multi-Disciplinary Monitoring Agency probing the larger conspiracy behind the Rajiv Gandhi assassination and the interim orders of the Supreme Court with regard to the matter.It then adjourned the hearing to August 12.The issue pertains to a plea moved by T. Arputham mother of life convict Perarivalan, who requested a direction from the court to grant 90 days parole to her son, who needs immediate medical attention in view of various ailments.Also Read: No Real Evidence Against Him, but Perarivalan Enters 30th Year of ImprisonmentThe court on July 22 had made it clear while hearing a habeas corpus petition by Arputham, that the governor of Tamil Nadu, a constitutional authority, cannot sit on the state’s recommendation on the release of all seven life convicts for so long. Consequently, directed the registry to inform counsel for the governor’s office to get instructions on the matter.“No time limit is prescribed for such authorities to decide on such issues only because of the faith and trust attached to the constitutional post.”“If such authority fails to take a decision within a reasonable time, then the court will be constrained to interfere,” a division bench, comprising Justices N. Kirubakaran and V.M. Velumani had said.On July 29, the Tamil Nadu government had informed the court that the governor is awaiting the final report of MDMA to take a decision on the recommendation made by the cabinet to release all the seven life convicts of the case.Besides Nalini Sriharan and her husband, the others convicted in the Rajiv case are Perarivalan, Santhan, Jayakumar, Ravichandran and Robert Pyas.All are serving life imprisonment for their role in the assassination of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi on May 21, 1991, by an LTTE suicide-bomber at nearby Sriperumbudur.