The Andhra Pradesh government on Monday decided to release 400 convicts who have shown good conduct in the prison.

The decision was taken at the cabinet meeting chaired by the Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu in Vijayawada.

Information minister P Raghunatha Reddy said the order of release was a "Republic Day gift" for the families of these convicts.

Deccan Chronicle also reported:

The last remission of prisoners was announced in 2006 in undivided Andhra Pradesh during the regime of Dr Y.S. Rajashekar Reddy. The government had released hardcore criminals along with others and faced bitter criticism. Later, several human rights organisations had approached Supreme Court seeking remission for prisoners, and the court cleared the release of life prisoners in 2014.