(1) The officer-in-charge may, after conducting an inquiry in such manner, as may be prescribed, impose any punishment with respect to the prison offences and record the same in the prisoner’s history ticket. Besides, in cases which constitute an offence under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 or any other special and/or local laws, the officer-in-charge shall initiate legal action.
(2) The following punishments shall be considered as minor punishments, namely:-
(i) formal warning, which shall mean a warning personally addressed to a prisoner;
(ii) forfeiture of remission earned, not exceeding fifteen days;
(iii) forfeiture of earning from wages upto three days in a calendar month;
(iv) punishment of drill or work for a period not exceeding one hour a day up to fifteen days subject to the prisoner's physical fitness, as may be certified by the medical officer;
(v) loss of privileges given to the prisoner in detention for a maximum period of ninety days;
Punishment for prison offences.
PUNJAB GOVT. GAZ.(EXTRA), MAY 21, 2026 (VYSK 31, 1948 SAKA) 608
(vi) change of form of labour to severe form for fifteen days;
(vii) change of accommodation to another barrack, cell or any other prison accommodation for such period, as deemed necessary by the officer-in-charge;
(viii) separate confinement for a period upto sixty days;
(ix) transfer to other prisons with the approval of the Head of Department; and
(x) a combination of two or more minor punishments.
(3) The following punishments shall be considered as major punishments, namely:-
(i) forfeiture of remission earned, exceeding fifteen days;
(ii) forfeiture of earnings from wages beyond three days and upto seven days in a calendar month;
(iii) forfeiture of privileges beyond ninety days but not exceeding one hundred eight days;
(iv) separate confinement beyond sixty days but not more than ninety days;
(v) cellular confinement for a period of up to thirty days;
(vi) exclusion of parole facility for upto one year;
(vii) exclusion from remission system for a period of one hundred eighty days; and
(viii) any combination of major and minor punishments.
(4) The officer-in-charge may award major punishment(s) only upon judicial appraisal. No officer subordinate to the officer-in-charge shall have the power to award major punishment.
(5) Notwithstanding the punishments specified in sections 42 to 48 the officer-in-charge may also award any punishment for the offences committed under the said sections, to the prisoner, as specified in this section, to maintain discipline in the prison.
Explanation.-Cellular confinement means the confinement of a prisoner in a PUNJAB GOVT. GAZ.(EXTRA), MAY 21, 2026 (VYSK 31, 1948 SAKA) 609 cell in such a manner that the prisoner is permitted to communicate and associate with other prisoners confined in separate cells, including the sharing of meals and other interactions, during a half-day period of lockout.
41. The procedure for award of punishment for prison offence shall be such, as may be prescribed.