PANAJI
The State government has constituted a three-member panel headed by Chief Secretary Puneet Goel, IAS, to examine cases of prisoners seeking pardon or early release from jail.
The committee is constituted specific to the Centre's directions related to granting "special pardon" on Independence Day this year and next year, as also on Republic Day next year in commemoration of the country's 75th anniversary of freedom.
Besides Goel who heads it, the panel also consists of Law Secretary Sandeep Jacques, IAS, and the Inspector General of Prisons, an order issued by Under Secretary (Home-I) Pritidas Gaonkar said.
The 'State Level Examining Committee' has been constituted in pursuance of the guidelines for granting special pardon on August 15, 2022, and 2023, and January 26, 2023, issued by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the order said.
IG Prisons will be its member-secretary and it will be responsible to scrutinize the records of all prisoners, identifying deserving ones who fulfil requisite conditions for pardon/early release from jail and also examining each matter in detail.
It will have powers to recommend cases of deserving prisoners for pardon/early release from jail to the State government, Gaonkar's order said.
