From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru
Bengaluru, Jul 20: After being bogged down in the controversy over the suicide of DySP M K Ganapati, which resulted in Bangalore Development Minister K J George’s resignation from the State Cabinet, the Siddaramaiah ministry has now got down to business and in the first major decision has approved guidelines for premature release of male prisoners who attained the age of 65 years, although sentenced for life and served imprisonment of 14 years in prison with remission.
A major decision taken by the State Cabinet at its meeting on Wednesday, approving the guidelines also seeks to permit premature release of female prisoners, who attained the age of 60 years and served imprisonment of 12 years with remission.
Remission means that if a person has been imprisoned and part of his or her sentence is remitted, then he or she need not have to remain in prison for the full period of sentence.
The Cabinet approved the “Guidelines for premature release of certain categories of prisoners sentenced to life”, based on the Supreme Court’s order.
It may be recalled that the previous and present Governors had rejected the recommendation for premature release of prisoners, who had served 14 years, due to absence of guidelines.
Briefing reporters on the decisions taken at a meeting of the State Cabinet, Karnataka’s Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister T B Jayachandra said convicted prisoners - both male and female - serving life imprisonment under section 433A of the Criminal Procedure Code would be eligible for premature release after serving 14 years of imprisonment without remissions.
Male prisoners not covered by section 433A of the Criminal Procedure Code (Cr.PC)serving life imprisonment would be entitled for premature release after serving 14 years of imprisonment, inclusive of remission, but applicable only after completion of 10 years of imprisonment without remissions, he said.
Female prisoners not covered by section 433A Cr.PCand serving life imprisonment, he said would be eligible for premature release after serving 10 years of imprisonment inclusive of remission but after completion of seven years of imprisonment without remission.
Fair Price Shop Dealers to Get More Commission
Jayachandra said dealers of over 20,000 fair price shops under the public distribution system (PDS) across Karnataka will get additional commission of Rs 14 per quintal for disbursing foodgrains to eligible beneficiaries.
The State Cabinet has hiked the profit margin of PDS fair price shop dealers from the present Rs 56 per quintal to Rs 70 per quintal of foodgrains they distribute to below and above poverty line families in the State.
It was also decided to provide two gunny bags to PDS shop dealers to store items.
In the past, members of the Fair Price Dealers’ Association staged protests in districts seeking higher commission for the owner of a fair price shop for disbursing a quintal of foodgrains allotted under the PDS.