Very recently, the Supreme Court of India took another gigantic step toward redressing the overcrowding and inhumane conditions within Indian prisons with its exercise to test the applicability of Section 479 of BNSS related to the release of first-time offenders. Of course, what the court essentially wants to know is whether or not the provision can apply retrospectively, begging critical questions: Why treat first-time offenders differentially who are already serving their sentences within the overcrowded prison facilities?. The Supreme Court was hearing a suo motu plea taken up to improve the deplorable condition of prisons around the country. This complaint is based on overcrowding; prisons hold far more prisoners than they can accommodate, resulting in poor living conditions. This situation is exacerbated by the presence of many first-time offenders who may not be particularly dangerous but languish in prison due to the lack of legal or judicial remedies. Section 479 of the BNSS is an amendment designed to ease the burden on prisons by allowing first-time offenders to be released under certain conditions. These laws promote non-supervised sentences such as probation or community service as alternatives to incarceration, particularly for felonies. The idea behind this is to reduce overcrowding in prisons and give first-time offenders a chance to rehabilitate without having to deal with the shame and pain of prison. If incarceration is reinstated, some first-time offenders currently in prison will be released due to prison overcrowding. This is in line with the law’s aim of providing restorative services without incarceration. The principle of retroactivity raises concerns about access to justice as it would change the legal rights of those who were convicted before the law was changed. Their decisions will significantly affect the field of law and the principles of equal justice and mercy. These penalties will set a precedent for future events and provide opportunities for first-time offenders in the future. This judgment is going to set a precedent for further cases and will provide a route for the approach of first-time offenders in times to come. With such a verdict in hand, the legal fraternity, activists working toward prison reforms, and even the general public are all holding their breaths and eagerly waiting as to how it can reshape justice and hence open up a more humane way toward incarceration.