Bhopal, Aug 7 — Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said on Friday that the state government has decided to release 124 prisoners lodged in various jails across the state on Independence Day under its annual sentence remission policy.
The beneficiaries include 118 inmates serving life imprisonment who will be granted premature release, while six other eligible prisoners will receive special sentence remission after being found eligible under the prescribed norms, he added.
"On the auspicious occasion of Independence Day, the Madhya Pradesh government will grant sentence remission or special pardon to 124 eligible inmates lodged in the state's prisons, based on criteria such as good conduct, disciplined behaviour and prescribed eligibility," the Chief Minister said on social media platform X.
He also shared that the decision includes the premature release of 118 inmates serving life sentences and the granting of special remission to six other eligible inmates.
The Chief Minister said the decision was in keeping with the state's commitment to the reformative approach of the criminal justice system.
"In line with the spirit of the correctional justice system, this initiative will encourage the rehabilitation of eligible inmates and their dignified reintegration into the mainstream of society," Chief Minister Yadav said in the social media post.
The state government grants remission to eligible prisoners every year on the occasion of Independence Day after examining their conduct in prison and other parameters laid down under the applicable rules.
The process involves scrutiny of the cases of eligible inmates by the competent authorities before the names are cleared for premature release or grant of special remission.
Only those prisoners who satisfy the eligibility conditions prescribed under the remission policy are considered for the benefit.
The remission policy is intended to recognise sustained good conduct and disciplined behaviour of inmates during their incarceration and to promote their rehabilitation.
The state government considers such measures an important part of the correctional justice system, providing eligible prisoners an opportunity to rejoin society after serving a substantial part of their jail sentence.
The annual exercise is undertaken in accordance with the provisions governing remission and premature release of prisoners, with authorities ensuring that all prescribed legal procedures are followed before the inmates are released from prisons across the state.