The Madras High Court has on Wednesday asked the Tamil Nadu government to reconsider the appeal of Nalini Sriharan, who is serving life sentence in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, for an early release. Observing that the Advisory Board set up by the government to decide on the issue was not properly constituted, the court called for a re-look into the entire issue.

Nalini, a life convict, had appealed in May this year for an early release citing her good behavior while in prison. She has already served more than 17 years in Vellore jail. The fresh plea for an early release came after the Tamil Nadu government rejected her earlier plea & made it clear that she would have to serve the full term of life imprisonment.

Nalini was awarded the death sentence, which was later changed to life imprisonment based on an appeal from Sonia Gandhi after Nalini gave birth to a girl in jail. Nalini & Murugan alias Sriharan, a former Tamil Tiger, had got married in jail. Both had been sentenced to death. Nalini and three others were arrested in 1991 in connection with the assassination.