Section 6 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) provides a standardized rule for calculating fractions of imprisonment terms. It states that unless otherwise specified, life imprisonment shall be considered equivalent to 20 years when calculating fractions of a sentence.
Key Provisions:
- Imprisonment for Life = 20 Years for Fractional Calculations
When calculating fractions of punishment, life imprisonment is considered as a 20-year term.
This applies unless a specific law provides a different calculation method.
- Applicable to Sentence Reductions and Parole Considerations
This rule helps in determining eligibility for early release, parole, or commutation when fractions of a sentence need to be considered.
How It Protects:
Ensures uniformity in calculating sentence reductions and early release eligibility.
Helps avoid ambiguity in cases involving remission or partial sentence execution.
Example:
If a law states that one-third of the sentence must be served before parole eligibility, then for a life sentence, one-third would be one-third of 20 years = approximately 6 years and 8 months.
