Delhi prisons new rule: Inmates to get remission based on their conduct as undertrials

The 2021 National Crime Records Bureau data shows that the percentage of undertrial inmates constitute 77 per cent of total prison population

In a first, inmates lodged in Delhi prisons will be granted remission based on their good conduct during the time spent as undertrials, according to an official statement.

At present, only those inmates who have been convicted are considered for remission based on their conduct.

A convict is a person sentenced by a court after being found guilty of a crime, while an undertrial prisoner is an accused person kept in judicial custody during the trial in court.

"Now, senior officers say that a new rule has been added that will allow considering inmates for remission based on their conduct even as undertrials. The remission, however, will be added to their sentence only after they are convicted," an official said.

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Officers say this is a step towards correctional administration in Delhi prisons that will strengthen their efforts towards reformation and rehabilitation of inmates to reintegrate them with the main stream society, it said.

The National Crime Records Bureau data of 2021 shows that the percentage of undertrial inmates with respect to total prison population was approximately 77 per cent.

In Delhi prisons, the percentage of undertrial prisoners is even more than the national percentage and is presently above 90 per cent, it stated.

"It is ironical that across the country, most of the rules have been framed for only the convicts. All the remission, work wages facility, parole, furlough, open institutions are mainly meant for convicts. This is despite the fact that more than 90 per cent of the inmates are undertrial prisoners," said a senior officer from Delhi prisons department.

"Therefore, there is hardly any motivation among the undertrials to maintain a good conduct. This is the reason why a new rule was added to the jail manual,” he said.

Since most of the time spent by an inmate in jail is as an undertrial, the new rule states that any inmate, who is eligible for ordinary remission will be eligible for award of remission for the good conduct during his period of incarceration as undertrial prisoner.

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"This remission will be based on his/her annual good conduct report for that period. The annual good conduct report for a year during the undertrial period will earn one month of remission, once concerned undertrial is convicted.

"This rule is expected to help in keeping the undertrials in discipline and motivate them for reformation,” the officer said.

The prison administration also believes this step will help them in decongesting the city's prisons, it stated.