Haryana assembly polls days away, Dera Sacha Sauda chief seeks 20-day parole

A few days ago, officials noted, he applied to the jail superintendent for a 20-day parole. A government official told The Indian Express, “In normal circumstances, there’s no need to specify reasons for seeking parole. Reasons are only required for emergency parole. Since the 20-day parole of Gurmeet Singh remains for 2024, there was no need to mention reasons.”

The official added, “Parole is usually approved at the divisional commissioner level. However, due to the model code of conduct, the prisons department, through the government, referred this case to the Chief Electoral Officer.”

In its communication to the CEO, the government reportedly mentioned that the Election Commission of India’s guidelines do not require its approval for parole cases. However, a source clarified, “The same guidelines state that the government must consult the CEO in emergent and compelling circumstances for parole. Since these circumstances were not specified in the Haryana government’s letter, the CEO asked the state government to clarify.”

An official commented, “Typically, convicts are not released after the model code of conduct comes into force to ensure the integrity of the election process and maintain a level playing field. Since the code came into effect in August for the assembly polls, the government has sent only one case to the CEO for consultation, concerning a convict seeking parole after losing his brother. During the Lok Sabha elections, only three parole cases were sent to the CEO.”

The repeated paroles and furloughs granted to the Dera chief have been challenged in the Punjab and Haryana High Court. His release in August came just days after the High Court dismissed a petition that challenged his temporary release. While rejecting the plea filed by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), the court observed that such matters should be considered by the competent authority without “arbitrariness or favouritism.” The High Court left it to the Haryana prisons department to decide on the Dera chief’s furlough application.