Circular to implement new pardoning rules in Punjab jails issued
Sentence remission limited to one-third under new guidelines; Good behaviour, education to earn sentence reductions; No remission for terrorism and treason convicts
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The Punjab Jail Department has defined five categories of sentence remission and detailed the duration and criteria for the process, 24NewsHD TV Channel reported on Wednesday.
According to an official circular issued, the remission categories include labour-based remission, special remission, good behaviour remission, blood donation remission, and educational remission.
Remission will be granted quarterly in March, June, September, and December. Monthly progress reports issued by the Deputy Superintendent of Development will determine eligibility, and these reports are finalised on the last day of each month.
The record will be updated in the Remission Sheet and Prison Management Information System (PMIS), and inmates will be informed on the first day of the respective months.
Per the new rules, remission cannot exceed one-third of the convict's sentence. Convicts whose death sentences are commuted to life imprisonment will benefit from the time spent in jail before sentence. However, convicts sentenced to less than four months of rigorous imprisonment are ineligible for labour-based remission.
Inmates working in jail industries will not receive remission for any month in which they fail to meet labour task requirements. Convicts are not eligible for remission during their first and last months in jail.
For good behaviour, inmates sentenced to rigorous imprisonment will receive 15 days' remission after completing one year and an additional 15 days every subsequent year.
Educational remission under Rule 215 of jail laws is awarded for completing educational milestones. A committee at the Inspector General of Prisons’ (IG) office will review educational remission cases monthly, and the jail administration will issue notifications upon IG approval.
Convicts of terrorism, treason, and other serious crimes are ineligible for remission. The IG Prisons Punjab has issued directives to ensure the immediate implementation of these rules.
Reporter: Ali Sahi