The Uttar Pradesh government has decided to remove the 60-year age bar for the release of life-term prisoners, said the U.P. minister of state (independent charge) of prisons and home guards, Dharamveer Prajapati, while sharing 100 days achievements at a press conference on Thursday. The state government had removed the 60-year age bar last month.
The identification of over 546 life convicts, who fall in this category and fulfil other criteria required for premature release, is being done, said jail officials.
The minister said that the revised policy suggests that the state government will consider the release of an inmate sentenced to life imprisonment for an offence like murder only after he has completed a jail term of 16 years without remission or 20 years with remission. He said the new policy will benefit a large number of convicts facing life terms and implementation of the new policy would help in decongesting jails across the state. Earlier, life convicts, in any case, could not be released before completing 60 years of age, he said.
A jail official at the prison headquarters, however, clarifies that the new policy also mentions that life convicts in cases like terror and waging war against the state will not stand to benefit. He said the new policy also suggests that central investigative agencies should not have been involved in the investigation of these cases and the convicts should not have been booked under a central law to be considered for premature release.
Also, the new policy is not applicable to inmates convicted for life by a court in other states, he added.
{{/usCountry}}Also, the new policy is not applicable to inmates convicted for life by a court in other states, he added.
{{/usCountry}}He explained that the state government, however, sticks to the old policy for release of inmates sentenced to life for crimes like kidnapping for murder, kidnapping in order to subject a person to grievous hurt and slavery, selling and purchase of minors for purpose of prostitution, rape and others only after they have served a jail term for 20 years without remission and 25 years with remission. He said the convicts, sentenced to life imprisonment for the mass murder charge, would be released after they have served a jail term of 25 years without remission and 30 years with remission.
Outlets to promote goods manufactured by jail inmates
The minister said that the state government is also promoting goods manufactured by jail inmates, following which outlets are being set up outside prisons for the sale of these items. He said the initiatives are being taken to provide education to children of women inmates living in jails along with them. Also, a children’s park is also being prepared to provide playing facilities for such children and keep them away from the barracks where their mothers and other inmates usually stay.
Maternity leave for women HGs under consideration
The minister said the government is also considering providing maternity leave for women home guards. He said home guards’ wages during training have been increased to ₹786 per day, which were ₹260 earlier. He said the home guards will be motivated to join the midterm training programme and improve their skills after this. He said the recruitment of home guards will soon be initiated according to vacant posts in the home guard department.
crimes like kidnapping for murder, kidnapping in order to subject a person to grievous hurt and slavery, selling and purchase of minors for purpose of prostitution, rape and others only after they have served a jail term for 20 years without remission and 25 years with remission. He said the convicts, sentenced to life imprisonment for the mass murder charge, would be released after they have served a jail term of 25 years without remission and 30 years with remission.
Outlets to promote goods manufactured by jail inmates
The minister said that the state government is also promoting goods manufactured by jail inmates, following which outlets are being set up outside prisons for the sale of these items. He said the initiatives are being taken to provide education to children of women inmates living in jails along with them. Also, a children’s park is also being prepared to provide playing facilities for such children and keep them away from the barracks where their mothers and other inmates usually stay.
Maternity leave for women HGs under consideration
The minister said the government is also considering providing maternity leave for women home guards. He said home guards’ wages during training have been increased to ₹786 per day, which were ₹260 earlier. He said the home guards will be motivated to join the midterm training programme and improve their skills after this. He said the recruitment of home guards will soon be initiated according to vacant posts in the home guard department.