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NEW NORMS FOR SENTENCE REMISSION

UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS | NEW NORMS FOR SENTENCE REMISSION | 14TH JUNE | THE HINDU

/ June, 2022, UPSC Daily Current Affairs

SYLLABUS SECTION: GS II (SOCIAL ISSUES)

WHY IN THE NEWS?

Recently, Union Home Ministry has issued a set of guidelines to the States and the Union Territories on the grant of New Norms for Sentence Remission to prisoners to commemorate the 75th year of Independence.

KEY DETAILS:

  • Special remission would be part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations.
  • Certain categories of prisoners would be releasing.
  • The prisoners who would qualify for premature release under the scheme are
  • Persons convicted for an offense for which punishment of death has been specified as one of the punishments
  1. Women and transgender convicts of ages 50 and above.
  2. Male convicts of 60 and above who have completed 50% of their total sentence period without counting the period of general remission earned.
  3. Persons whose death sentence has been commuted to life imprisonment
  4. Physically challenged or disabled convicts with 70% disability and more who have completed 50% of their total sentence period.
  5. Terminally ill convicts, convicted prisoners who have completed two-thirds (66%) of their total sentence
  6. Poor or indigent prisoners who have completed their sentence but are still in jail due to non-payment of fines imposed on them by waiving the fine.
  7. Persons who committed an offense at a young age (18­21) and with no other criminal involvement or case against them and who have completed 50% of their sentence period would also be eligible for New Norms for Sentence Remission.
  • The prisoners would be released in three phases — August 15, 2022, January 26, 2023, and August 15, 2023.
  • The prisoners who would not be eligible:
  • Persons convicted with a death sentence
  • Persons convicted with a sentence of life imprisonment convicts involved in terrorist activities or persons convicted under the Terrorist and Disruptive (Prevention) Act, 1985, Prevention of Terrorist Act, 2002, Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, Explosives Act, 1908, National Security Act, 1982, Official Secrets Act, 1923, and Anti­Hijacking Act, 2016, would not be eligible.

SOURCE: THE HINDU