Delhi govt announces remission for certain category of prisoners

New Delhi: The Delhi government on Sunday announced the remission of the sentence for certain categories of convicts on the occasion of Republic Day, which will benefit over 2,000 prisoners.

The Delhi Home Minister, Ashish Sood, said the remission would apply to convicts sentenced by courts in Delhi and those undergoing imprisonment as of January 26, subject to prescribed conditions, under provisions of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023.

Sood said, “This remission of the sentence will benefit over 2,000 prisoners.”

According to a statement, women prisoners above 65 years of age and sentenced to more than 10 years will receive 90 days of remission, while those serving for five years up to 10 years will get 60 days.

Prisoners serving over one year up to five years will be granted 30 days, and those sentenced up to one year will receive 20 days of remission, it said. For all other prisoners, the sentence would be remitted by 60 days for those serving more than 10 years, 45 days for over five years up to 10 years, 30 days for over one year up to five years and 15 days for one year, it said.

Sood said the special remission would be in addition to the regular remission admissible under the Delhi Prison Rules, 2018.

Prisoners on parole or furlough as of January 26 will also be eligible, provided no misconduct has been reported during that period, he added.

The initiative will benefit only those convicts who have not been punished for any jail offence in the preceding year, from January 26, 2025, to January 25, 2026, he said.