Ranchi:
In good news for prisoners serving life terms for over twenty years in Jharkhand jails, the government is mulling over a suggestion to set them free.
"According to a Supreme Court ruling, a life term sentence means for entire life and not 14 years. Still we will look into the suggestion," HRD Minister Hemlal Murmu informed the state assembly.
His reply came when AJSU MLA K K Bhagat sought to know whether according to an 1884 jail manual, life sentence meant serving only fourteen years. "But there are several prisoners who have spent over twenty years in jail," said Bhagat during the Question Hour.
Leader of the Opposition R P Singh (Congress) suggested that the Speaker should chair a meeting comprising officials and the representatives of the people and discuss whether it was feasible to free such life term prisoners with good conduct spending more than two decades in jail.
Speaker C P Singh asked Murmu whether the government agreed to the suggestion of the leader of Opposition, Murmu replied in the affirmative.
"According to a Supreme Court ruling, a life term sentence means for entire life and not 14 years. Still we will look into the suggestion," HRD Minister Hemlal Murmu informed the state assembly.
His reply came when AJSU MLA K K Bhagat sought to know whether according to an 1884 jail manual, life sentence meant serving only fourteen years. "But there are several prisoners who have spent over twenty years in jail," said Bhagat during the Question Hour.
Leader of the Opposition R P Singh (Congress) suggested that the Speaker should chair a meeting comprising officials and the representatives of the people and discuss whether it was feasible to free such life term prisoners with good conduct spending more than two decades in jail.
Speaker C P Singh asked Murmu whether the government agreed to the suggestion of the leader of Opposition, Murmu replied in the affirmative.
