2. INTRODUCTION
• Indian Penal Code provides for Five types of punishments for offences therein.
• Life imprisonment (also known as a life sentence or life incarceration) is a sentence of
imprisonment for a serious crime under which the convicted person is to remain in jail for the
rest of his or her life.
• Life imprisonment, as distinct punishment for certain grave offences under the Indian Penal
Code was authorized by law with effect from1st January 1956, when the Code of Criminal
Procedure (Amendment) Act, 1955 came into force.
• It was earlier known as transportation for life.
• There are in all fifty-one sections in the Indian Penal Code which provide punishment with
imprisonment for life.
3. Section 53: Punishments
The Punishments to which offenders are liable under the provisions of this Code are:
1) Death
2) Imprisonment for life
3) Imprisonment, which is of two descriptions,
a) Rigorous, that is with hard labour
b) Simple
4) Forfeiture of property
5) Fine.
4. Conti...
TERM AS PER STATUTORY LAW :
Various statutes in India dealing with criminal
law have laid down provisions relating to life
imprisonment. Important provisions are as
follows:
Section 55: Commutation of sentence of
imprisonment for life
Section 57: Fractions of terms of
punishment
5. Section 55: Commutation of sentence of imprisonment for life
In every case in which sentence of [imprisonment] for life shall have been
passed, [the appropriate Government] may, without the consent of the offender,
commute the punishment for imprisonment of either description for a term not
exceeding fourteen years.
• Section 55, I.P.C. provides that when sentence of imprisonment for life has been passed, the
appropriate Government may without the consent of the prisoner commute the punishment for
imprisonment of either description for a term not exceeding fourteen years.
• This section empowers the appropriate Government to commute the sentence of imprisonment of life.
• Exercise of such right is at the discretion of the appropriate government.
• This section does not lay down that life imprisonment shall be an imprisonment for fourteen years and
a prisoner is not to be automatically released after expiry of fourteen years of imprisonment.
• It is for the appropriate Government to commute the sentence and for this purpose Rules have been
framed by the State Government.
6. Section 57 – Fractions of terms of punishment
In calculating fractions of terms of punishment, [imprisonment] for life shall be
reckoned as equivalent to [imprisonment] for twenty years.
• Section 57 of I.P.C. provides that in calculating fractions of terms of imprisonment, imprisonment for life
shall be reckoned as equivalent to imprisonment for 20 years.
• Section 57 does not say that imprisonment for life shall be deemed to be transportation for 20 years.
• For all purposes, imprisonment for life must, prima facie, be treated as imprisonment for whole of the
remaining period of the convicted person’s natural life.
