COVID-19 : Kerala Govt Constitutes High Level Committee To Recommend Grant Of Parole/Interim Bail To De-Congest Prisons

Following SC directions, Kerala Government  has constituted a High Level Committee to recommend grant of parole/interim bail to convicts/under-trials in offences punishable with less than 7 years, to de-congest prisons in view of COVID 19 pandemic.

The Committee comprising Chairman of State Legal Services Committee, Additional Chief Secretary (Home and Vigilance), and Director General of Prisons has been authorized to recommend grant of parole or release on interim bail to prisoners who have been convicted or are under-trial for offences for which prescribed punishment is up to 7 years or less and the prisoner has been convicted for a lesser number of years that the maximum.

The Committee will determine the category of persons who should be released, depending upon the nature of offence, the number of years to which the person has been sentenced or the severity of the offence.

Director General of Prisons and Correctional Services has been empowered to grant ordinary leave to eligible prisoners in a single spell of 60 days.

Overstayal of prisoners after the expiry of the period of leave up to April 15 will be considered as bail, due to lack of public transport.

The order has been issued based on the directions passed by the SC on Monday in a Suo Moto writ petition to de-congest prisons.