Centre submits new parole guidelines to high court
By IANSWednesday, January 20, 2010
NEW DELHI - Those who are a threat to national security, involved in sedition or convicted for rape-cum-murder will not be granted parole, according to the new guidelines which the central government Wednesday submitted to the Delhi High Court.
The court had earlier expressed its displeasure over the procedure for granting parole, and said it suspected the powerful and the influential received a preferential treatment in grant of parole.
The modified parole guidelines were submitted before a division bench of Chief Justice Ajit Prakash Shah and Justice Rajiv Sahai Endlaw by Solicitor General Gopal Subramaniam.
The court took the amended guidelines on record and said it will pass the detailed order by Thursday.
The court had allowed the government to modify the earlier guidelines after Delhi Legal Services Authority (DLSA) raised objections to certain provisions.
Condemning the government, the court observed: “It virtually includes the entire population of the jail.”
The previous set of guidelines said if a person is believed to be dangerous for public peace and involved in cases like assault, outbreak, riot, mutiny, sedition, cruelty, TADA and in possession of explosive, dangerous weapon, committing rape etc., he would not be considered for the relief, including those who are involved in various other petty criminal offences.
The court was taking suo motu cognizance of a letter written by several prisoners languishing in Tihar Jail not being allowed out on parole.
