Delhi Govt announces remission for select category of prisoners

On the eve of Republic Day, the Delhi Government announced the remission of sentence for a select segment of convicts, in a move that will benefit over 2,000 prisoners.

In a statement, Delhi 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.

“This remission of the sentence will benefit over 2,000 prisoners. Women prisoners above 65 years of age and sentenced to more than 10 years will receive 90 days of remission. Those serving for five years up to 10 years will get a remission of 60 days. Prisoners serving over one year up to five years will be granted 30 days remission and those sentenced up to one year will get 20 days of remission,” a statement said.

In case of other prisoners, 60-day remission will be granted to those serving more than 10 years, 45 days for those serving over five years up to 10 years, 30 days for over one year up to five years and 15 days for one year. Sood said the special remission would be in addition to the regular remission admissible under the Delhi Prison Rules, 2018.

The State Home Department said prisoners on parole or furlough as of January 26 would also be eligible for the new policy, if no misconduct is reported.

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

Those sentenced to death or life imprisonment following commutation, detainees and civil prisoners, convicts imprisoned for evasion of government dues, prisoners convicted under the NDPS Act, POCSO Act, Official Secrets Act, espionage 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 not eligible for remissions.