Policy of Premature Release in Life Imprisonment Cases | 04 Feb 2022

On February 3, 2022, the Supreme Court directed the Uttar Pradesh government to reconsider the policy of premature release of life imprisonment.

Doubts have been raised by the Supreme Court on the validity of the provision regarding the minimum age of 60 years for the premature release of prisoners in this policy of 2021.
It may be noted that as per the 2021 policy, all convicts, who have completed 60 years of age and have spent 20 years in jail without any exemption and 25 years with exemption, can be released prematurely.
Under this policy made by the State Government, the powers conferred under Article 161 of the Constitution have been exercised for the premature release of the convicts.
According to Article 161, the Governor of a State has the power to pardon, suspend, suspend or remit the punishment of a person convicted of an offense.