PAROLE

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A controversy erupted after Gurmeet Ram Rahim, the head of Dera Sacha Sauda, was released from Sunaria jail in Rohtak on 40-day parole.
He had earlier been released from prison for a month in June, and for three weeks in February before the Punjab state Assembly elections.

About Parole

Parole is a system of releasing a prisoner with some conditions; usually subject to behaviour, and requires periodic reporting to the authorities.
In 2017, the Supreme Court in ‘Asfaq vs State of Rajasthan and Others’ said that the main purpose of parole is to offer a convict the opportunity to solve their personal and family problems.
- It will be a conditional temporary release but has some benefits such as the period of release being considered part of the total sentence.
The Haryana Good Conduct Prisoner (Temporary Release) Act, 1988 provides that the state government in consultation with the District Magistrate or any other appointed officer can release a prisoner for three weeks in case of:
- A Member of the prisoner’s family has died or is seriously ill.
- The prisoner is seriously ill.
- The prisoner is to get married or there is a marriage of close family members.
- Other sufficient causes like an admission of any dependent in an educational institute, medically scheduled delivery of the convict’s wife or house repairs.
- A prisoner can also seek parole for agricultural operations.
Parole can be granted only after serving at least one year of the sentence.
Temporary release under provisions for parole is given by the state, but its decision can be challenged before the judiciary.
A prisoner can seek temporary release by submitting an application before the Jail Superintendent who in turn will forward the application and a report of his to the District Magistrate.
- The District Magistrate will then forward the case with his recommendations to the Director General of Prisons for grant of parole or otherwise.
The prisoner released on parol is required to surrender himself before the jail authorities at the end of the period of release.