Delhi govt announces remission for certain category of prisoners on R-Day eve

New Delhi, Jan 25 (PTI) The Delhi government on Sunday announced the remission of the sentence for certain categories of convicts on the occasion of Republic Day.

Home Minister Ashish Sood said the remission would apply to convicts sentenced by courts in Delhi and those undergoing imprisonment as of January 26, subject to prescribed conditions, under provisions of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023.

According to a statement, women prisoners above 65 years of age and sentenced to more than 10 years will receive 90 days of remission, while those serving over five years up to 10 years will get 60 days.

Prisoners serving over one year up to five years will be granted 30 days, and those sentenced up to one year will receive 20 days of remission,

it said.

For all other prisoners, the sentence would be remitted by 60 days for those serving more than 10 years, 45 days for over five years up to 10 years, 30 days for over one year up to five years and 15 days for one year, it said.

Sood said the special remission would be in addition to the regular remission admissible under the Delhi Prison Rules, 2018.

Prisoners on parole or furlough as of January 26 will also be eligible, provided no misconduct has been reported during that period, he added.

The benefit will be extended only to those convicts who have not been punished for any jail offence in the preceding one year, from January 26, 2025, to January 25, 2026, he said.

However, certain categories of prisoners are excluded from the remission, including those sentenced to death or life imprisonment following commutation, detainees and civil prisoners, and convicts imprisoned for evasion of government dues, it said.

Prisoners convicted under the NDPS Act, the POCSO Act, the Official Secrets Act, espionage-related offences, court-martial cases, contempt of court, offences against women under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and specified civil offences, such as under the Negotiable Instruments Act, are also ineligible, it read.

According to the statement, cases falling under exception categories notified by the Ministry of Home Affairs, including offences related to subjects in the Union List of the Constitution, have also been excluded.

The home minister said the Delhi government remained committed to reformative justice while ensuring public safety and adherence to legal and constitutional provisions. PTI SHB SHS SHS SHS