The move to release prisoners — on this Independence Day, the next Republic Day and 15 August 2023 — is part of the Centre’s ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ celebrations
In 2020, India had a total of 4,88,511 prisoners lodged in 1,306 jails across the country. Representational image/AFP
The Narendra Modi government is going all out to celebrate India’s 75 years of Independence. As part of its ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’, the Centre has taken a big decision to release a certain category of prisoners incarcerated in jails.
News agency PTI citing sources reported that the identified prisoners will be released on this Independence Day, the next Republic Day and 15 August next year.
The aim of the new scheme is to encourage prisoners who show good conduct in jail.
Here’s all we know about who shall be eligible and what the remission scheme aims at achieving.
Prisoners in India
Before we delve into the Centre’s new remission scheme for prisoners, here’s a clear picture of the number of people the country has behind bars.
According to the National Crime Records Bureau, India had a total of 4,88,511 prisoners lodged in 1,306 jails across the country in 2020. This number was a rise from the previous year which saw 4,81,387 people behind bars.
The NCRB data also revealed that of the 4,88,511 prisoners, 4,68,395 were male prisoners, 20,046 were female prisoners and 70 were transgender.
Eligibility for Centre’s remission scheme
On Tuesday, the Union Cabinet cleared a proposal to release certain category of prisoners incarcerated in jails as part of the ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’ initiative of the central government.
Sources have said that the government has set a criteria for prisoners who could apply for the remission scheme. Persons involved in some serious crimes will not be able to avail of this scheme.
An Economic Times report said that there are categories of prisoners will be eligible for release. However, all prisoners who avail of this scheme will have had to have had good conduct within the premises of the jail.
1) Women and transgender convicts of 50 years of age and above, who have completed 50 per cent of their total sentence period
2) Male convicts of 60 years of age and above, who have completed half of their total sentence period
3) Physically challenged or specially-abled convicts with 70 per cent disabilities and have completed 50 per cent of their jail term, will be eligible for early release
4) Convicts who are terminally ill and have served two-thirds or 66 per cent of their total jail time would be considered if the medical board certifies their illness
5) Poor prisoners who have completed their sentencing but continue to be behind bars owing to their inability to pay the corresponding fine of their crime will also be considered in this scheme
6) Those at an age between 18-21 years and have no other criminal involvement/case filed against them and they have finished half their sentencing period will also be applicable for the remission scheme
Purpose of this scheme
A Hindustan Times report stated that the scheme aimed at showing the generous and humane side of the Narendra Modi government.
It further acts as an incentive for prisoners to maintain good conduct behind bars.
The special remission scheme isn’t the first of its kind for the Narendra Modi government. In July 2018, the Centre had initiated a similar arrangement to mark the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.
Under the plan, a number of prisoners were released in three phases — 2 October 2018 (birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi), 10 April, 2019 (anniversary of Champaran satyagraha) and 2 October 2019 (birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi).
With inputs from agencies
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