The Karnataka High Court has allowed a man serving a life sentence for murder to leave prison for 15 days to get married, ruling that a convict’s own wedding can also be considered a valid reason for granting parole. The court said excluding a convict’s marriage from the circumstances in which parole may be granted would be unreasonable, while directing that the release remain subject to appropriate conditions.

Justice B M Shyam Prasad was hearing a petition filed by the convict’s mother and his prospective bride. They had challenged the May 9, 2025 decision of the superintendent of Central Prison, Parappana Agrahara, Bengaluru, who had rejected the convict’s request for emergency parole. The petitioners sought his temporary release so that he could be present for and solemnise his marriage.

The prison authorities had refused the request on the grounds that emergency parole could be granted only in specified circumstances. These included situations such as the marriage of a convict’s child or sibling. The authorities did not consider the convict’s own proposed marriage to fall within those circumstances, leading his mother and prospective bride to approach the High Court.

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The court, however, took a broader view of the purpose of parole and considered whether a convict should be permitted to leave prison for his own marriage. In its September 24 order, the court held that the reason should also fall within the circumstances for which a convict may be granted parole. It observed that taking the opposite view and excluding a convict’s own wedding would be unreasonable.

The High Court consequently permitted the life convict to leave prison for 15 days for the purpose of his marriage. The permission was not treated as an unconditional release, with the court making the temporary parole subject to conditions. The order allows the convict to attend his wedding while continuing to remain subject to the restrictions applicable to his parole.

The ruling provides judicial recognition that a convict’s own marriage can, in appropriate circumstances, constitute a ground for parole even when prison rules specifically mention certain family-related events. The case also highlights the court’s approach to interpreting parole provisions in a manner that does not automatically exclude significant personal events from consideration, while maintaining conditions and safeguards during the temporary release.

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