The Meghalaya government is examining the Supreme Court directive to the states to constitute high-powered committee to decide on considering the release of prisoners in the wake of the COVID19 outbreak.
“The prisons department in consultation with the Law department are examining the possibilities of releasing inmates on emergency parole,” Meghalaya deputy chief minister Prestone Tynsong told reporters on Monday evening.
There are five district jails in Meghalaya — Shillong, Williamnagar, Jowai, Tura, and Nongpoh.
These five jails can accommodate 595 male and 55 female inmates.
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On March 23, a Bench led by Chief Justice of India Sharad A. Bobde ordered each state to consider releasing some prisoners on parole to reduce overcrowding in prisons and directed the states to constitute a high powered committee which will decide on the matter.
“The prisons department is already working on a mechanism on how to deal with the parole. We will be able to take a call on this matter in a day or two,” Tynsong said.
The deputy chief minister agreed the need to segregate between undertrial prisoners (UTPs) and convicts and decongest the jails in view of the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID19).