Union Cabinet approves Spl Remission to prisoners

Speed Post News Network

New Delhi : The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on July 18, 2018, gave its approval to grant Special Remission to Prisoners as part of Commemoration of 150^th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

As part of commemoration of 150^th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, prisoners will be considered for special remission and released in three phases. In Phase-l, the prisoners will be released on October 2, 2018 (Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi), in Phase-ll prisoners will be released on April 10, 2019 (anniversary of Champaran Satyagrah), and in Phase-Ill, prisoners will be released on October 2,2019 (Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi).

Such prisoners will include women convicts of 55 years of age and above, who have completed  50% of their actual sentence period, Transgender convicts of 55 years of age and above, who have completed 50% of their actual sentence period, male convicts of 60 years of age and above, who have completed 50% of their actual sentence period,Physically challenged/disabled convicts with 70% disability and more who have completed 50% of their actual sentence period, terminally ill convicts, and convicted prisoners who have completed two-third (66%) of their actual sentence period.

Special remission will not be given to prisoners who have been convicted for an offence for which the punishment is sentence of death or where death sentence has been commuted to life imprisonment, cases of convicts involved in serious and heinous crimes like Dowry death, Rape, Human Trafficking and convicted under POTA, UAPA, TADA, FICN, POCSO Act, Money Laundering, FEMA, NDPS, Prevention of Corruption Act, etc.

Ministry of Home Affairs will issue advice to all States and UTs asking them to process the cases of eligible prisoners. State Governments and UT Administrations will be advised to constitute a Committee to examine the cases. State Governments will place the recommendations of the Committee before Governor for consideration and approval under Article 161 of the Constitution, according to a PIB release.