State Governor C Vidyasagar Rao has notified 30 new amendments to the jail manual, including exclusion of rape convicts from being eligible for furlough.
"The amended jail manual has now gone for printing, after which it will be uploaded on the government's website for public view," Additional Director General of Police, Prisons, B K Upadhyay said, while noting that the proposed amendments have been notified by the Governor.
According to a senior official from the state Prisons Department, 30 amendments have been made in the existing prison manual, which also includes extending the continuous period of furlough granted to convicts.
"Now, the period of furlough has been extended to a maximum of 21 days for a convict who is serving a sentence of less than 10 years, plus a seven day extension if authorities find suitable, and a convict serving a term of more than 10 years will get 28 days furlough at a stretch," he said.
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"Also, a person convicted for rape will not be eligible for furlough," he said.
"Thus, if the police feels, they can grant an extension of parole without investigating into the matter. But, it will be the responsibility of the police to ensure the convict appears before it every two days," he said.
He said the jail authorities will now have the power to send back the medical certificate provided by a convict to appropriate police or hospital authorities, if they find the certificate produced to be doubtful.
The manual also calls for restricting new constructions in the vicinity of the central prison.
"Also construction of a structure between 150-500 metres will be decided by a high-powered committee that will look into technicalities like height of the structure. The committee will have officials from municipal corporation, Urban Development Department, police and prison," he said.
The official said there will also be provisions for creating new medical staff posts in prisons.