Principal secy will now decide paroles

NEWDELHI: Lieutenant Govenror Anil Baijal has delegated powers to the principal secretary (home) for granting parole to convicts lodged in jails across the city.

The order will empower the home secretary to clear 95% of all parole cases in the city.

Baijal’s order will clip the role of Delhi’s home minister who until now used to sign and give recommendations on all parole cases before forwarding it to the L-G for a final decision. “The recent order will eliminate delays and unnecessary routine movement of files. While the L-G has relieved himself from having to approve such cases, the home minister too will not receive these files from now,” said a government official.

Manoj Parida, principal secretary (home), confirmed the order but refused to comment on it.

However, cases in which conviction is under POCSO Act or prevention of corruption Act will be routed through the minister and approved by the L-G. Cases investigated by the CBI or central agency, and convicts of murder after rape and multiple murders will also go to the L-G, the order accessed by HT said.

The order comes after it was observed that many prisoners faced inordinate delays in getting a parole only because of procedural lapses.

Delhi has three jails at Tihar, Rohini and Mandoli. For every case of parole, a report is prepared by the jail superintendent who assesses aspects related to the prisoner such as impact of his release, address verification and his conduct in the jail.

The file is then submitted to the DG prisons after which it is sent to the home department.

Another official said the move will remove political interference. “Under the new rule, if anyone challenges a parole decision of the principal secretary (home) then she/he will have to go to the court,” the official said.