The Supreme Court has delivered a significant and relieving verdict for prisoners serving jail sentences. Now, no prisoner will be kept in jail after completing their sentence, and they will not need to appeal for release.
New Delhi: There is major relief news from the Supreme Court for prisoners serving jail sentences. The Supreme Court has issued a clear order that no prisoner shall be kept in jail for any additional time after their sentence is completed. Now, prisoners must be released immediately upon completion of their sentence without the need for any release appeal.
Under the current system, prisoners had to appeal for release even after completing their sentence, due to which they often had to spend unnecessary additional time in jail. This new decision will protect the rights of prisoners and make their release process faster and smoother.
What is the Supreme Court's order?
A two-judge bench of the Supreme Court, Justices KV Vishwanathan and BV Nagarathna, have given clear instructions in this matter that keeping any prisoner in jail after the completion of their sentence will be illegal. Currently, prisoners have to appeal to the court or Sentence Review Board for release after completing their sentence, which often delays their release.
Now, the Supreme Court has ensured that prisoners are automatically released upon completion of their sentence, which will reduce overcrowding in prisons and respect the rights of prisoners.
What is the whole matter?
This order has come in reference to a special petition filed by Sukhdev Yadav alias Pehalwan, a prisoner serving a 20-year sentence in the Nitish Katara murder case (2002) of Delhi businessman. On March 9, Pehalwan's sentence was completed, but the Review Board rejected his release application. After this, Pehalwan approached the Supreme Court. On July 29, the Supreme Court ordered his immediate release.
The Supreme Court bly reprimanded the Sentence Review Board in this matter. The court said that such negative and delaying actions raise questions about the justice system. The Supreme Court warned that if such an attitude continues, criminals will die in jails. After this reprimand, the Home Secretaries of the states and union territories were directed to inspect the jails and ensure strict compliance with this order.
Who will have to appeal?
The Supreme Court has clarified that only those prisoners who have been sentenced to life imprisonment will have to appeal to the Sentence Review Board or the concerned court for release. All other prisoners whose fixed term sentences have been completed will not have to go through any additional legal process. This order protects the rights of prisoners and will help in speeding up the justice process.
This decision is being considered historic in terms of protecting the rights of prisoners in the Indian justice system. This will reduce overcrowding in jails, eliminate unnecessary legal processes, and make it easier for prisoners to get justice. Along with this, this decision will also put positive pressure on the jail administration to update their records on time and release prisoners who have completed their sentences immediately.
