" It appears that from time to time the State Government had been examining the question of, and the procedure for, submission of Roles for pre mature release of prisoners as contained in the aforesaid Para 516 B of the Manual and after considerable deliberation the State Government took a policy decision in 1971 and issued instructions (hereinafter called 'the 1971 Instructions ') providing that a period of actual sentence of 8 years in the case of adult lifers and 6 years in the case of female prisoners and those below 20 years of age at the time of the commission of the offence should be regarded as the qualifying period for consideration of their cases for pre mature release and in this behalf a Memorandum No. 133116JJ 71/39656 dated 10th of November, 1971 containing the aforesaid instructions was issued by the State Government to the Inspector General of Prisons, Punjab and it was clarified that all cases of prisoners should be sent for consideration of their pre mature release in the light of said policy decision with effect from 2nd of November, 1971.