Chandigarh, March 31: Convicted prisoners in Punjab will now be eligible for remission from time to time, instead of just once, under the amendment to the Remission Policy 2010, approved on Wednesday by the state cabinet.
The cabinet, at a virtual meeting under Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, gave the go-ahead to the amended Remission Policy 2021, which makes remission applicable for prisoners sentenced to imprisonment for more than 10 years, including prisoners sentenced for life,instead of prisoners convicted for 10 to 20 years under the earlier policy.
Further, the convicts would now be eligible for time to time remission also in cases of offences committed under Section 302 or 304 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860, read with Sections 376, 376-A, 376-AB, 376-B, 376-C, 376-D, 376-DA, 376-DB, 376-E or 377 of the Indian Penal Code, instead of an offence committed under Section 302 or 304 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 read with only Sections 376 to 376-D or 377 of the Indian Penal Code.
The Chief Minister has been authorised to make any further changes as may be suggested by the Department in this regard.It may be recalled that on March 16, 2020, while considering premature release cases of life convicts, it came to the notice of the Committee constituted at the level of government for the purpose, that the Remission Policy-2010 had some ambiguities.
The Committee also realised that the 2010 policy was silent on some provisions. Hence, it could not be clarified from the Remission Policy whether the remission announced by the Punjab Government was to be granted to the convicts every year or it can be granted only One Time during the sentence period. It was thus felt that the Remission Policy dated September 30, 2010 needed some clarification.After thoroughly examining the Remission Policy it was felt that some amendments were required to be effected in it.
These amendments have now been included in the new Remission Policy 2021 so that the convicts confined in the jails of Punjab may get the benefit of remission granted from time to time.
In addition, the new Policy also incorporates some other important amendments relating to crimes against women that have been effected in the IPC.Notably, the Punjab Government had framed a policy in 2010 for granting benefit of remission on different occasions to the convicts undergoing jail sentences in the state. POLICE ADMIN REPORT APPROVEDIn another move, the Cabinet has also approved the Annual Administrative Report of the Police Department for the year 2018.
