Srinagar, Oct 15: The Jammu & Kashmir Government has revealed that it has not taken any decision on the recommendations made by the Prison Department in the past three years for remission of sentences of convicts.

The J&K’s Home department has revealed it has not taken any decision on the recommendations sent by DGP Prisons after August 5, 2019 for remission of sentences of convicts.

“No decision could be taken by the Department on recommendations received from DGP Prisons, J&K for the remission of sentence of convicts from 5th August 2019,” the Public Information Officer of Home Department has revealed in response to an application filed under the Right to Information Act-2005.

The Prison Department has disclosed that since August 2019, cases of 20 convicts were recommended for remission of sentences by the review boards headed by its DGP.

While the Department refused to disclose details of prisoners recommended for premature release, it has revealed that since August 2019 cases of 20 convicts were recommended by the Review Board.

The proposals were sent to the Home department on August 5, 2019, January 6, 2020, August 5, 2020, December 28, 2020, 11 August 2021 and January 21, 2020.

The provincial-level review boards were empowered to recommend the cases of convicts for their premature release. These boards were headed by DGP Prisons and comprised official as well as non-official members.

The review boards have been replaced by an apex-level committee headed by UT’s Home secretary as per the new jail manual notified on August 17, 2023.kno