The Supreme Court Friday asked respective state governments to release prisoners from jails in view of the prevailing COVID-19 pandemic, which it termed as “alarming”, NDTV reported.
“The Covid situation is alarming and we have to decongest the prisons,” the NDTV report quoted Chief Justice NV Ramana as observing adding that orders passed last year will have to be repeated.
In March last year it ordered release of the prisoners owing to the risk of disease spread and difficult social distancing inside the jails.
As per the NDTV report, a high-powered panel in each state has been tasked to determine the class of prisoners to be released on parole or interim bail.
India reported the highest ever daily spike of over 4.14 lakh new COVID-19 infections while nearly 4,000 deaths also took place on the country.