India, April 14 -- The Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court has raised concerns over a rule that bars furlough for prisoners convicted under certain special laws, questioning its constitutional validity and referring the issue to a larger bench.

Justices Anil L Pansare and Nivedita P Mehta said Rule 4(2) of the Maharashtra Prisons (Parole and Furlough Leaves) Rules, 2024, which denies furlough to convicts under laws like Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, and the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, may violate Articles 14 and 21 of the Indian constitution.

The court, however, did not strike down the rule, noting that two earlier benches had...