TN govt forms panel on premature release of life convicts

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin has announced constituting a committee under a retired High Court judge to recommend to the State, the premature release of certain categories of life convicts, the government said on Thursday.

The panel, comprising among others Mental Health expert, Medical Education Director, advocate with expertise in criminal procedure code and one from the Prisons department, will be headed by retired judge of the Madras High Court, Justice N Authinathan, an official release here said.

The six-member committee will recommend to the government, the premature release of life convicts, including elderly, differently abled and those with certain mental and health issues who had completed 10 years and 20 years of incarceration, it said.

Humanitarian consideration, various Supreme Court verdicts and existing laws and regulations will be the recommendation criteria, it said.