Uttarakhand State (for Remission/Premature Release of Convicted Prisoners Sentenced to Life Imprisonment by Courts) Permanent Policy, 2022 | 13 Dec 2022

Why In News?

• On December 12, 2022, Additional Chief Secretary Home Radha Raturi issued notification of the Standing Policy, 2022 for remission/premature remission of conviction prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment by the State of Uttarakhand (courts).

Key Points

• Under the State of Uttarakhand (For Remission/Premature Remission of Sentences/ Premature Remission of Convicted Prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment by courts) Permanent Policy, 2022, women and men lodged in life imprisonment will be able to be released after equal punishment. For release, they will be judged on the basis of good conduct, nature of crime and age. They will be released on a personal bond of 50 thousand rupees.
• The release of detainees will be decided with the nature of the offence. If a prisoner is released by mistake, he can be sent to jail again. Prisoners suffering from more than 13 serious diseases will also be able to get release.
• Under this policy, life imprisonment will now attract a maximum sentence of 14 years. So far, there was a provision of 14 years for women and 16 years for men. But now such convicted women and male prisoners whose sentence of 14 years without parole and 16 years with parole will be able to be waived.
• Similarly, prisoners above 70 years of age without parole will be able to be released at 12 years and prisoners on parole at 14 years and above 80 years without parole and 12 years with parole.
• According to the policy, a committee will be formed under the chairmanship of principal secretary or secretary home to look into such matters. The committee will have principal secretary or secretary justice and law advisor, principal secretary or secretary home and additional secretary home (Prisons) as members, while inspector general of prisons will be member secretary.