Delhi grants up to 90-day remission to convicts on Republic Day

Remission will be applicable only to convicts sentenced by courts with jurisdiction in Delhi and lodged in central jails within or outside the city who are undergoing sentence as of January 26, 2026.

The Delhi government has decided to grant special remission of up to 90 days to eligible convicts on occasion of Republic Day, with prisoners above 65 years of age and women prisoners jailed for over 10 years set to receive the highest remission, Delhi home minister Ashish Sood announced on Sunday. This is expected to benefit around 2,000 prisoners.

Convicts who are on parole or furlough as on January 26 shall also be eligible, provided no misconduct has been reported during the said period. (PTI)

Sood said the remission shall be applicable only to convicts sentenced by courts with jurisdiction in Delhi and lodged in central jails within or outside the city who are undergoing sentence as of January 26, 2026, subject to prescribed conditions.

While prisoners above 65 years of age and women prisoners with a sentence of over 10 years will get 90 days remission, those awarded sentence above five years up to 10 years will get 60 days of remission.

A remission of 30 days will be granted to those sentenced to one year up to five years in jail while those serving sentence up to one year will get 20 days of remission.

For all other prisoners — those with sentences of over 10 years, between five and 10 years, above one year and up to 5 years, and up to 1 year will get a remission of 60, 45, 30 and 15 days respectively, said Sood in a statement.

The remission is being granted under Section 473 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023.

Sood said the special remission shall be in addition to the that already admissible under the Delhi Prison Rules, 2018. Convicts who are on parole or furlough as on January 26 shall also be eligible, provided no misconduct has been reported during the said period.

The benefit shall be granted only to those convicts who have not been punished for any jail offence during the preceding one year, from January 26 last year to January 25 this year.

Certain categories of convicts are not eligible for the remission. These include prisoners awarded the death sentence or whose death sentence has been commuted to life imprisonment; detenues, civil prisoners or prisoners imprisoned for evasion of government dues; prisoners convicted under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, or Official Secrets Act, or for espionage-related offences. Prisoners convicted by court-martial; for contempt of court or for offences against women under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023; and under the Negotiable Instruments Act and other specified civil offences, as well as cases falling under the “Exception” categories notified by the Ministry of Home Affairs will also not be eligible.