Eligibility for parole consideration

(1) A serious offender is eligible for consideration for release on parole on the expiration of the following periods from the date of his reception in a prison after sentencing– (a) 10 years, in the case of a prisoner undergoing imprisonment for life or a determinate sentence of 21 years or more; (b) after the expiry of one-half of the term of imprisonment, in the case of any other serious offender undergoing a sentence. (2) A lesser offender is eligible for consideration for release on parole on the expiration of one-third of the term of imprisonment commencing from the date of his reception in a prison after sentencing. (3) As soon as an offender has become eligible to be released on parole under subrule (1) above, the Superintendent of Prisons shall refer the case of such offender to the Board for (4) Nothing in subrule (3) above shall preclude an offender from himself applying to the Board after he has become eligible to be released on parole under subrule (1) above. (5) Where the Board refuses to release an offender on parole under subrule (3) or (4) of this Rule, the offender may from time to time apply to the Board for a further consideration of his case provided that no application under this subrule shall be entertained by the Board at any time within six months after the making of a previous application. 102 (5) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Rule, the Board may of its own motion or at the request of any member thereof, at any time after the expiry of the appropriate period specified in subrule (1) above, consider the case of an eligible offender, with a view to his being released on parole. (6) In considering any case under this Rule, the Board or any member authorized in writing by the Board may interview the offender at the prison in which he is detained or require the offender to attend before a meeting of the Board or require a prison officer in charge of a prison to have the offender brought before a meeting of the Board. (7) There is neither right of appeal to any authority nor right to apply for judicial review by a prisoner against the Board’s decision– (a) to refuse to grant parole, (b) to recall a parolee or revoke the order granting such parole, and the Board’s decision for parole consideration or recall of parolee, as the case may be, is final. (8) Subrule (1) does not apply to a serious offender– (a) who is convicted of murder, or (b) who is convicted for manslaughter by negligence, due to motor vehicle incident.