New Delhi: Over 1200 undertrials languishing
in various jails for petty offences have either been released
or granted bail after the Government launched a scheme on
Republic Day to decongest jails, Law Minister M Veerappa Moily
said on Tuesday.
Under the scheme, the Government plans to either free or release on bail upto 70 per cent of over three lakh undertrials in the country.
The scheme, that will be in place for six months, is
being implemented in consonance with various High Courts of
the country and is aimed at decongesting jails.
Since the scheme involves judicial processes, the
government had requested all the 21 High Courts to identify
cases that could be considered under it.
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has released 302
undertrials, 443 have been released by the Jharkhand High
Court, the Bombay High Court has released 466 undertrials,
while the Delhi High Court has released 45 such persons, Moily
said, adding that the total adds up to 1,256.
"There are two aspects. One is administrative and the
other is judicial. The identification of undertrials whose
cases could be disposed of comes on the administrative side
and their speedy trials comes on the judicial side," he said.
Moily said as part of the scheme, Chief Justices of the
21 High Courts have appointed task force headed by executive
chairman of Legal Service Authority or a senior judge selected
by the Chief Justice of the High Court. The Task Force would
identify jails, implement programmes and monitor progress.
PTI
First Published: Tuesday, February 02, 2010, 22:42