Shimla, Jul 4 (IANS): The Himachal Pradesh High Court has dismissed a petition for extension in parole preferred by a life convict who was earlier released on parole to ease congestion in jails amid the coronavirus pandemic, and directed him to surrender before the jail authorities.

The court, however, asked the convict to renew in future his request for parole extension along with justifiable reasons, as per the law.

"I find no merit in the present petition. It is disposed of with the direction to the petitioner to immediately surrender before the jail authorities," Justice Vivek Singh Thakur said in his order.

He directed the authority concerned to consider the convict's request for parole sympathetically and compassionately without getting influenced by the court judgment.

Petitioner Deepak Verma is undergoing a life sentence in a murder case at the Lala Lajpat Rai District and Open Air Correctional Home in Dharamsala.

He was temporarily released on parole for 42 days on May 8. He had sought relief of extension of the parole by 60 days on the ground that he had completed 17 years of imprisonment.

On account of his good conduct, he has been permitted to work outside the jail. Before the coronavirus pandemic, he was working as goldsmith in a shop and also as a tutor under the official scheme that allows certain jail inmates to work outside the jail.

In the state, the temporary release of prisoners for good conduct on certain conditions is governed by the Himachal Pradesh Good Conduct Prisoners (Temporary Release) Act of 1968.