TN Govt announces release of 67 lifers; DMK welcomes move
To commemorate the birth centenary of former Tamil Nadu CM, MG Ramachandran, the state government today announced the premature release of 67 life convicts who have completed 10 years of imprisonment on February 25. Two government orders, envisaging guidelines for the release of prisoners, were issued. Article 161 of the Constitution empowers a Governor to grant pardons on the issue of premature release.
Opposition DMK welcomes TN Govt's move
The Leader of Opposition, MK Stalin, welcomed the move and asked why the announcement wasn't made in House. Law Minister CVe Shanmugam said the release of prisoners, being proposed by the government was a "continuing task". "Unlike the release of prisoners during your (DMK) regime (2006-11), now it is being done on a case by case basis as per Supreme Court guidelines," he said.
Prisoners evaluated on factors like detention length, serious ailment
In the Central prisons in TN, committees were set up to give recommendations for the remission of sentence, Shanmugam noted. Prisoners were being evaluated for release on factors like the length of their detention in prisons and if they faced serious ailments. Founder of AIADMK and mentor of late J Jayalalithaa, MG Ramachandran (1917-1987) was Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu between 1977 and 1987.
