Chandigarh, March 28, 2025 (Bharat Khabarnama Bureau): The Punjab Vidhan Sabha today unanimously passed The Transfer of Prisoners (Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2025, paving the way for the transfer of inmates from Punjab jails to prisons in other states. The amendment to the Transfer of Prisoners Act, 1950 was introduced by Punjab Jails Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar.
The minister emphasized that Punjab, being a border state, faces significant internal security challenges. He stated that various jails in the state currently house high-risk prisoners, including individuals involved in anti-national activities, terrorists, ‘A’ category gangsters, smugglers, and other dangerous criminals who continue to operate their networks from behind bars.
Bhullar explained that the existing Transfer of Prisoners Act, 1950 lacked provisions to shift undertrial prisoners to jails outside Punjab. The amendment was necessary to address growing concerns over law and order, state security, and the smooth functioning of the prison system.
The new law would enable authorities to relocate high-profile inmates to other states, thereby disrupting criminal activities orchestrated from within jails and easing overcrowding in Punjab’s correctional facilities.
The government has described the move as a critical step in strengthening security and ensuring better prison management.
