High Court seeks input from Chandigarh, Punjab, Haryana on inmate parole and furlough

The Punjab & Haryana High Court has initiated a call for suggestions from the administrations of Punjab, Haryana, and Chandigarh to develop a district-level digital application. This discussion arose during the hearing of a plea filed by the ‘Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee,’ challenging the recent parole granted to Gurmeet Ram Rahim.

This app aims to streamline the process of parole and furlough for jail inmates. The Court, led by Acting Chief Justice Ritu Bahri and Justice Nidhi Gupta, took this step, contemplating the creation of an app to simplify and digitize the procedures related to inmate parole and furlough.
The court highlighted the app’s potential role in handling and documenting applications for parole and furlough. Additionally, it may include information about ‘proclaimed offenders’ and essential details from FIRs and challans to facilitate legal processes within courts.

In emphasizing the app’s significance, the Court noted its potential to assist marginalized jail inmates in pursuing legal matters concerning parole and bail. This discussion arose during the hearing of a plea filed by the ‘Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee,’ challenging the recent parole granted to Gurmeet Ram Rahim.
Furthermore, the Court acknowledged a detailed response from the Superintendent Jail, District Jail, Rohtak, where Ram Rahim was held. According to the response, Ram Rahim was granted 40 days of regular parole in January, during which he complied with the conditions, residing at Shah Satnam Ji Ashram within the jurisdiction of Police Station Binoli. The bench noted that there were no disturbances to law and order during his parole period.

The Court adjourned the hearing to February 13 and issued notices to the States of Haryana, Punjab, and UT Chandigarh, urging them to explore the establishment of a district-level digital app for parole-related procedures and related legal matters.