Kerala starts implementing SC directive on decongesting prisons

Kerala Government has decided to allow parole to all the prisoners who are 'eligible' for their parole in the State’s prisons, as per the discretion of the high-level committee formed for the purpose. Including the 180 undertrial prisoners who were allowed interim bails, 917 prisoners have been released from the prisons so far in 2 phases. About 6000 prisoners are housed in various prisons across the State.

Thiruvananthapuram: As the contagion of COVID 19 in its second wave has become very severe in the country, the disease has been widely reported to have been passing on to one another within the prisons also. Considering these circumstances, Kerala has started implementing the Supreme Court’s directive to decongest the prisons by allowing parole to prison inmates.

Kerala Government has decided to allow parole to all the prisoners who are 'eligible' for their parole in the State’s prisons, as per the discretion of the high-level committee formed for the purpose. Including the 180 undertrial prisoners who were allowed interim bails, 917 prisoners have been released from the prisons so far in 2 phases. About 6000 prisoners are housed in various prisons across the State.

A high-level committee, comprising High Court Judge C T Ravikumar, Home Secretary T K Jose and Jail DGP Rishiraj Singh among others, has decided on allowing interim bail and parol to the prisoners on personal surety or bond.

In the first phase of COVID 19, more than 550 prisoners were affected by the disease in Poojappura Central Jail in Thiruvananthapuram alone. In the current, second phase, considering the virulence of the new mutant variants of COVID 19 - which are is capable of more severe symptoms and a very high transmission rate - the Prisons Department has been observing extra caution to prevent a contagion inside the jail premises. However, on conducting a COVID test in 5100 of the prisoners, 418 had tested positive for the virus. Even though the situation is under control as of now, in order to prevent COVID deaths in elderly prisoners, the Prisons department had requested certain measures, including parole.

All prisoners released on parole as of now, have been directed to remain in their homes, strictly following the Health Department’s COVID regulations and protocol.

Supreme Court’s directive on decongesting jails

• Forming a High- level committee to allow parole to the eligible prisoners
• Decongesting the premises of the prisons in the present COVID situation
• Preventing the COVID contagion among the prisoners

Total number of prisoners to be released across the State

Convicts (Prisoners) : 1500

Prisoners undertrial: 350

Parole criteria

• The prisoners already on parole need not return to the prisons immediately
• Convicts allowed 90 days of parole
• Parole for first-time offenders / non-history sheeters
• Convicts awarded less than 7 years prison term to be considered
• Parole for those who are involved in only one case
• Undertrial prisoners who have no criminal background
• Convicts allowed special leave in 2020
• Convicts not involved in sedition or narcotics (drugs) cases
• Parole for men aged above 60
• Parole for women aged above 50