The Supreme Court today directed all states and Union Territories to set up high level committees to determine class of prisoners who could be released on parole for four to six weeks to avoid overcrowding in jails so as to safeguard against the spread of coronavirus pandemic.<br />'' <br />'' The apex court said the prisoners convicted of or charged with offences having jail term of up to seven years can be given parole to decongest jails. A Bench headed by Chief Justice S A Bobde said that the High-level committee will work in consultation with State Legal Service Authority for release of prisoners. The bench was hearing the issue, of which it had taken suo motu note last week, on the preparedness in the wake of coronavirus in overcrowded prisons.<br />''  <br />'' The top court on March 16 had said that due to overcrowding it is difficult for jail inmates to maintain social distancing to prevent the spread of coronavirus, which has been declared as pandemic by the World Health Organization.<br />'' Expressing concern over the overcrowding of prisons, the top court had said that there are 1,339 prisons in the country housing approximately 4 lakh 66 thousand 84 inmates.<br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"><br />''The top court had said that several prison staff enter the prisons regularly, and so do visitors and lawyers and therefore, there is a high risk of transmission of COVID-19 to the prison inmates.</span><br />