Some 32 persons undergoing life sentence in the Bangalore Central Prison at Parappana Agrahara went on a fast pressing for the remission of sentence of life, which is not permissible under the law.
The life convicts lodged in different cells in the prison refused to eat since morning. “Seventeen men and 15 women are on fast and have threatened to continue for an indefinite period,” said Chief Superintendent of Bangalore Prison M.C. Vishwanathaiah.
‘Poor living conditions’Among the reasons cited for the premature release include poor living conditions in the prison. “Every room accommodates about 90 persons as against 20. We are forced to sleep very close. We struggle to get water for daily course,” said the 14 life convicts in a statement released to the media.
The life convicts said there was not enough work for them in the prison. “There are about 1,000 persons undergoing life sentence and 500 undergoing lesser sentence. There is no work for almost 75 per cent of the convicts,” they said. The life convicts said there were no adequate facilities in the prison to treat various ailments afflicting the inmates.
“For the past three years, we have been asking the State Government for premature release. But the State Government has not been hearing our plea,” the life convicts said.
The law does not provide for remission of sentence of life. The Criminal Procedure Code states that a person sentenced for life should undergo imprisonment for the rest of his life.
The State Government has power to suspend or remit sentences and prison manual provides for it. The manual provides for 15 days of remission for every one year of good conduct of the convicts. But this power has been restricted in case of sentences for life. Section 433-A of the Criminal Procedure Code states that a person sentenced for life cannot be released unless he has served for 14 years of imprisonment.
