350 prisoners in Maharashtra who took part in bhajan contest get remission

Prison Department head, Additional Director General of Police Amitabh Gupta, said, “We believe this special remission will help instill a sense of positive achievement among inmates and encourage them to participate in other correctional initiatives. The 10 inmates from the final winning team will be granted 90 days remission, 50 others who were in award winning teams will be given 60 days remissions, and other 290 participants will be granted 30 days remission.”

Remission of sentences, which refers to reduction in the sentence required to be served, can be availed by convicts, as per various conditions stipulated in Maharashtra Prisons (remission system) Rules framed in 1962. The rules entitle convicted inmates to avail remission of four types – ordinary remission, annual good behaviour remission, state granted remission and special remission.

Special remissions are granted to inmates for their special achievements in correctional activities and can range from durations of 30 days to 90 days. While the remission of 30 days is granted under the powers of the Superintendent of a prison, the remission of 60 and 90 days is granted by the Prison departments at the level of Deputy Inspector General officer and state prison headquarters.

The Maharashtra state government in October 2019, specifically empowered the Additional Director General of Police of Prison Department to sanction special remissions if a convict completes Secondary School Certificate (SSC), Higher Secondary School Certificate (HSC), graduate and post graduate degrees and Mphil or PhD while serving the sentence.

Further, the Deputy Inspector General was given powers to sanction a 60-day remission in sentences if an inmate completes a certain vocational training with a certificate while serving the sentence.

As reported by The Indian Express earlier this year, between October 2019 and January 2023, as many as 80    inmates completed their      graduate degrees, seven inmates completed their post-graduate degrees and two inmates successfully passed SSC or HSC exams while serving their sentences.