130 prisoners to walk free from Telangana jails on October 2

HYDERABAD: The premature release of prisoners, on ‘special remission’, which was planned for Independence Day, has been rescheduled to Gandhi Jayanti.

Sources in the State Prisons Department told Express that the government has reduced the number of prisoners to be released, by amending the remission guidelines that it had prepared before Independence Day.

 As per the latest guidelines, over 130 prisoners are likely to be released, sources said. If the guidelines framed on July 28 were to be followed, over 270 would have been released.

A highly-placed official said: “There was criticism for being liberal and releasing those who have committed serious crimes. This is why the government amended the guidelines”.

A GO issued on July 28, which Express accessed, stated that ‘non-life’ convicts, and those serving life sentences, are eligible for remission. But the latest proposal has excluded non-lifers.

As per the proposed norms, women who have undergone six years of imprisonment and men who have served 10 years are eligible.