The Delhi government has sent a proposal for the premature release of 14 prisoners to LG Vinay Kumar Saxena for approval. Home Minister Kailash Gehlot has sent this proposal to Delhi Chief Minister Atishi for approval. After this it will be sent to the LG. The Delhi government says that after a thorough review of a total of 92 cases, the Sentence Review Board i.e. SRB has recommended the premature release of 14 prisoners. These prisoners include those who have shown signs of reform and repentance in jail.
Home Minister Kailash Gehlot said that the premature release of these prisoners not only gives them another chance to join the mainstream of society, but it will also help a lot in reducing the increasing burden on the jails. This recommendation was made once before but then the LG had returned this recommendation requesting to send it through the Chief Minister.
This time the proposal has been sent again to the Lieutenant Governor after the approval of Chief Minister Atishi on 24 September 2024. The meeting of the Sentence Review Board held on 23 February was chaired by Delhi Home Minister Kailash Gehlot. Other key officials including Additional Chief Secretary (Home), Director General (Prisons), Principal Secretary (Law), Chief District Judge, Special Police Commissioner and Director of Social Welfare participated in this meeting.
In the meeting, remission of sentence and premature release of 14 convicts was recommended. Now after the approval of this proposal, these 14 convicts will be released from jail. Under Article 161 of the Constitution, the power to pardon a prisoner lies with the state government, not the governor. However, the head of the state is bound by the advice given by the appropriate government.
