Convicted prisoners in Punjab will now be eligible for remission from time to time, instead of just once, under the amendment to the Remission Policy 2010, approved by the state Cabinet on Wednesday.
The Cabinet approved the amended Remission Policy 2021, which makes remission applicable for prisoners sentenced to imprisonment for more than 10 years, including prisoners sentenced for life, instead of prisoners convicted for 10 to 20 years under the earlier policy.
It may be recalled that on March 16 last year, while considering premature release cases of life convicts, it came to the notice of the committee constituted at the level of government for the purpose, that the Remission Policy-2010 had some "ambiguities".
"The committee also realised that the 2010 policy was silent on some provisions. Hence, it could not be clarified from the Remission Policy whether the remission announced by the Punjab government was to be granted to the convicts every year or it can be granted only one time during the sentence period. It was thus felt that the Remission Policy dated September 30, 2010, needed some clarification," a statement said.
In addition, the new policy also incorporates some other important amendments relating to crimes against women that have been affected in the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Notably, the Punjab government had framed a policy in 2010 for granting benefit of remission on different occasions to the convicts undergoing jail sentences in the state.
In another move, the Cabinet has also approved the Annual Administrative Report of the Police Department for the year 2018.
( With inputs from ANI )
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