Gandhinagar, November 1, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The Gujarat government will grant 15 days of parole to 143 eligible prisoners from November 6 to enable them to celebrate Diwali with their families. The beneficiaries include 103 male prisoners aged 60 years and above and 40 women inmates.
The parole period will begin on Dhanteras, November 6, as part of the state’s annual prisoner welfare initiative being implemented under the supervision of Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi.
Gujarat has been extending the 15-day Diwali parole facility to eligible prisoners every year since 2003. Under the policy, the benefit is available to women prisoners and male inmates aged 60 or above, subject to specified eligibility conditions.
Director General of Police (Gujarat Prisons and Correctional Department) K.L.N. Rao said prisoners involved in serious offences and certain categories of cases would remain excluded from the facility.
Those ineligible include prisoners whose appeals are pending before the High Court, non-resident Indian prisoners and inmates from other states. Prisoners convicted under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA) and the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) will also not qualify.
The exclusions further cover prisoners involved in terrorist activities or activities considered detrimental to the state’s economy, those convicted in more than one offence, and inmates serving sentences for serious crimes such as rape, kidnapping, robbery, dacoity, theft and extortion.
Prisoners facing preventive detention orders will also remain outside the scheme.
The government said the annual arrangement is intended to give eligible inmates an opportunity to spend the festival with their families while ensuring that the prescribed rules and restrictions are followed.
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