Punjab to allow early release of terminally ill prisoners

Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, November 17

Punjab government has decided to amend its policy to allow early release of mentally incapacitated or terminally ill convicts undergoing life term, a press release by the state government said on Friday.

The state Cabinet that met on Friday approved of changes to its Premature Release Policy after Punjab and Haryana High Court recently questioned the state’s existing policy

“The changes would enable premature release of life convicts who are mentally incapacitated or who are suffering from terminally ill disease like cancer, suffering from full-blown aids or failure of both kidneys. The mentally incapacitated or seriously ill prisoners would be eligible for consideration for premature release after completion of 10 years of imprisonment, with or without remission. Prisoners suffering from cancer, or who have suffered and whose kidneys have failed, would also be eligible for premature release,” the press release said. 

The Cabinet has asked for a report on prisoners that continue to remain in jail even after they have served their sentences.

The state government will ask the central government to revise its existing blacklist to allow Punjabis who have been charged with terrorism under the now-repealed Terrorist and Disruptive Activities Act (TADA) and were currently living abroad to return to the country, the release said.