Cabinet approves increase in prisoners'' yearly parole from 12 to 16 weeks

Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, December 11

To mark the yearlong celebrations of 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev, the Punjab Cabinet on Tuesday gave the nod to increase the regular parole given to prisoners with good conduct from 12 weeks to 16.

The cabinet gave the nod to amend Section 3 Sub Section 2 of the Punjab Good Conduct Prisoners (Temporary Release) Act, 1962, to increase the regular parole given to the prisoners with good conduct from the existing 3 weeks to 4 weeks, and total parole from 12 weeks to 16 weeks during a calendar year.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh.

The cabinet gave its nod to the introduction of the bill in this regard in the ensuing session of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha.

Disclosing this here today, a spokesperson of the Chief Minister's Office said this step was aimed at ensuring the welfare of prisoners with good conduct by giving them continuous parole of 16 weeks.

This initiative would also encourage other prisoners to maintain discipline in jails.

Notably, in view of good behaviour and discipline amongst prisoners in different jails of the state, they are temporarily released on parole as specified in the provisions of Punjab Good Conduct Prisoners (Temporary Release) Act, 1962. 

A 15-day parole is granted to prisoners on the death of any of their family members. There is a provision of granting 120 days parole to a female prisoner on account of delivery of her child. Apart from this, six weeks parole is given to the prisoners for marriage of children, agricultural purpose, serious damage to life or property of the member of the family caused by natural calamity and for critical condition of any member of the family on account of accident and on account of delivery of child by his wife. This parole would now be given maximum up to 16 weeks during a calendar year and shall be availed on quarterly basis.

In another decision, the Cabinet also gave its nod to introduce the Punjab Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Ordinance-2018 in the forthcoming Vidhan Sabha session beginning from December 13.

It may be recalled that the Punjab Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Ordinance, 2018 was promulgated on October 23, 2018 in order to simplify the process of filing returns and payment of tax with minimum paperwork. As per clause 2 of Article of 213 of the Constitution, an Ordinance shall be laid before the Legislative Assembly of State for conversion of the Ordinance into Act.