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NEW DELHI: Coinciding with India’s 72nd Independence Day celebrations, the process for release of first batch of prisoners under the Centre’s special remission scheme will begin with prison authorities submitting details of eligible inmates to the respective state governments for consideration.

As per guidelines for grant of special remission to certain categories of prisoners in commemoration of Mahatma Gandhi ’s 150th birth anniversary, August 15 is the cut-off date for prison authorities to identify and submit details of the prospective beneficiaries to be freed in the first phase on October 2. The state governments shall process the cases and forward these for consideration by a state-level committee latest by August 30. Cases needing concurrence of the Centre may also be forwarded by the states/UTs by this date.

The committee will finalise its recommendations by September 10, which must be submitted for approval by the governor or competent authority by September 20. The approval process and formalities for release of prisoners on October 2 this year would be completed by September 25.

Those eligible for special remission include women and transgender convicts aged 55 and above, who have completed half of their actual sentence, male convicts aged 60 and above who have done over 50% of actual sentence, convicts with over 70% physical disability who have completed 50% of their actual sentence, terminally-ill convicts, as well as convicted prisoners who have completed two-third of their actual sentence.

Time-lines have also been laid down for release of eligible prisoners in Phase 2 on April 6, 2019, and Phase 3 on October 2, 2019. The deadline for prison authorities to submit eligible names is January 6, 2019 for Phase 2 and March 10 for Phase 3. The cases must be submitted for consideration by the committee by January 26 for Phase 2 and June 30 for Phase 3. The committee will give its recommendations by February 6 for Phase 2 and July 30 for Phase 3. The recommendations are to be submitted for approval by governor or competent authority by March 1 for Phase 2 and August 15 for Phase 3. The release formalities will be over by March 11 for Phase 2 and September 25for Phase 3.

Implementation of the scheme will be handled by the state governments, ‘prisons’ and ‘persons detained therein’ being ‘state’ subjects. Only cases where approval of the Centre is required as per law will be forwarded to the home ministry. Release of foreign nationals shall require concurrence of the ministry of external affairs.

