Madras High Court Directs Streamlined Processing for Prisoners' Leave Applications

The Madras High Court has instructed the Director General of Prisons to ensure timely processing of prisoners' leave applications in compliance with the Tamil Nadu Suspension of Sentence Rules, 1982. Failure to adhere may result in disciplinary actions. A recent petition led to directives on handling both ordinary and emergency leave applications.

The Madras High Court has mandated the Director General of Prisons to issue comprehensive instructions to subordinate prison authorities for processing prisoners' leave applications diligently within a 28-day timeframe, as per Rule 24(5) of the Tamil Nadu Suspension of Sentence Rules, 1982.

A division bench comprising Justices S M Subramaniam and N Senthil Kumar emphasized that any failure to comply with these rules would be considered a lapse, dereliction of duty, or negligence, warranting disciplinary action against accountable officials.

The bench clarified that writ petitions filed prematurely, before the 28-day statutory period, would not be considered for ordinary leave. Emergency leave applications must be addressed promptly by the competent authority. In a specific case concerning a convict's leave request, the court granted 21 days of ordinary leave starting September 6, 2024.

(With inputs from agencies.)