PATNA: Amidst reports of renewed bonhomie between the JD(U) and the BJP, the Centre on Wednesday accepted Bihar CM Nitish Kumar ’s suggestion to grant special remission to prisoners as part of commemoration of 150th birth anniversary of Mahatama Gandhi.

A month ago while presenting his views at 4th meeting of the NITI Aayog’s governing council (on June 17) in Delhi, Nitish had requested PM Narendra Modi to grant amnesty to prisoners, especially woman and the prisoners above 60 years of age.

"In India, there has been a tradition of amnesty on special occasions. On the occasion of 150th birth anniversary of Gandhi ji, it would be our suggestion that, barring the under-trial prisoners and criminals convicted or involved in serious crimes, amnesty may be considered for petty natured crimes, adopting the due process of law. Women prisoners or prisoners above 60 years of age may be given priority. If suitable changes are required in the law, the same may be considered," Nitish had said. Modi presided over the NITI Aayog’s governing council meet.

The Bihar CM had also suggested that books based on life-context and ideals of Bapu's life, should be made available to all schools across the country, so that boys and girls of all states get an opportunity to know, understand and imbibe values and ideals of Gandhi ji.

Precisely a month on, a meeting of union cabinet chaired by PM Modi on Wednesday approved a similar proposal to grant special remission to prisoners as part of commemoration of 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi .

As per the union cabinet’s decision, certain categories of prisoners would be considered for special remission and released in three phases. In Phase-l, the prisoners would be released on October 2, 2018 (on birth anniversary of Gandhi), in Phase-ll, prisoners would be released on April 10, 2019 on anniversary of Champaran Satyagrah and in Phase-Ill, prisoners would be released on October 2, 2019 (again on birth anniversary of Gandhi).

The beneficiaries include women convicts of 55 years of age and above who have completed 50% of their actual sentence period, transgender convicts of 55 years of age and above who have completed 50% of their actual sentence period, male convicts of 60 years of age and above who have completed 50% of their actual sentence period, physically challenged/disabled convicts with 70% disability and more who have completed 50% of their actual sentence period, terminally ill convicts and convicted prisoners who have completed two-third (66%) of their actual sentence period, a union government’s communique said.

As per the cabinet decision, the special remission would not be given to prisoners who have been convicted for an offence for which the sentence is sentence of death or where death sentence has been commuted to life imprisonment. The Union ministry of home affairs would soon issue advice to all states including Bihar and union territories asking them to process the cases of prisoner eligible for special remission.

Earlier on April 10 this year, Modi and Nitish shared dais at the closing ceremony of the year-long celebrations to commemorate 100 years of Gandhi's Champaran Satyagrah.

