Lok Sabha Question No. 1019 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-11-22
Subject: Undertrials in Prison
Ministry: HOME AFFAIRS
Asked by: RAVNEET SINGH

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1019

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 22 ND  NOVEMBER, 2016/AGRAHAYANA 1, 1938 (SAKA) UNDERTRIALS IN PRISON

1019.  SHRI RAVNEET SINGH:

Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) the total number of under trials lodged in prisons as on date, State-wise;
- (b)  the  present  status/details  of  court  backlogs  in  their  cases,  State-wise including Punjab;
- (c) whether the Government is aware of the low rate of disposal of such cases in various courts in the country; and
- (d) the steps taken by the Government for speedy disposal of such cases?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI HANSRAJ GANGARAM AHIR)

(a)&(b): As  per  data  collected  by  the  National  Crime  Records  Bureau    from States/UTs at the end 2015, a total of 2,82,076 Under trial Prisoners were lodged in various prisons. The details of State/UT wise under trials lodged in Jails is at Annex-I.

(c)  &  (d):  'Prisons'  is  a  State  subject  under  Entry  4  of  List  II  of  the  Seventh Schedule  to  the  Constitution  of  India.  The  management  and  administration  of prisons falls exclusively in the domain  of State Governments. However, considering  the  importance  of  the  matter  and  various  directions  given  by  the Supreme Court, the Government of India has also taken various administrative and legislative measures in prison reforms and has been issuing various

## LS.US.Q.No.1019 FOR 22.11.2016

advisories  to  State  Governments.  For  reducing  the  number  of  under  trials  in prisons, some of the measures taken are : (a) Establishment of Fast Track Courts (FTCs), (b) Launch of National Mission for Justice Delivery and Legal Reforms, and (c) Insertion of a new section viz.  436A in the Criminal Procedure Code etc. The  Government  of  India  has  advised  the  States/UTs  to  consider  the  best practices followed by other States/UTs towards reduction of under trial prisoners and have been advised to explore alternative to imprisonment. The Courts are also conducting regular Jail Adalats in the prisons for speedy disposal of cases.

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## Annexure referred to in part (a) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 1019 for answer on 22.11.2016

| S/No.   | State/UT          | Undertrials   | Undertrials   | Undertrials   |
|---------|-------------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|
| S/No.   | State/UT          | Male          | Female        | Total         |
| 1       | Andhra Pradesh    | 4641          | 264           | 4905          |
| 2       | Arunachal Pradesh | 132           | 4             | 136           |
| 3       | Assam             | 5484          | 212           | 5696          |
| 4       | Bihar             | 22689         | 735           | 23424         |
| 5       | Chhattisgarh      | 9352          | 518           | 9870          |
| 6       | Goa               | 244           | 19            | 263           |
| 7       | Gujarat           | 7323          | 295           | 7618          |
| 8       | Haryana           | 10086         | 403           | 10489         |
| 9       | Himachal Pradesh  | 1151          | 35            | 1186          |
| 10      | Jammu & Kashmir   | 1826          | 80            | 1906          |
| 11      | Jharkhand         | 12873         | 715           | 13588         |
| 12      | Karnataka         | 8989          | 325           | 9314          |
| 13      | Kerala            | 4409          | 158           | 4567          |
| 14      | Madhya Pradesh    | 20582         | 718           | 21300         |
| 15      | Maharashtra       | 20716         | 951           | 21667         |
| 16      | Manipur           | 498           | 35            | 533           |
| 17      | Meghalaya         | 854           | 8             | 862           |
| 18      | Mizoram           | 536           | 72            | 608           |
| 19      | Nagaland          | 383           | 7             | 390           |
| 20      | Odisha            | 12054         | 530           | 12584         |
| 21      | Punjab            | 12454         | 592           | 13046         |
| 22      | Rajasthan         | 13764         | 461           | 14225         |
| 23      | Sikkim            | 130           | 10            | 140           |
| 24      | Tamilnadu         | 7427          | 423           | 7850          |
| 25      | Telangana         | 3278          | 244           | 3522          |
| 26      | Tripura           | 434           | 24            | 458           |
| 27      | Uttar Pradesh     | 60171         | 2498          | 62669         |
| 28      | Uttarakhand       | 2202          | 90            | 2292          |
| 29      | West Bengal       | 14301         | 1041          | 15342         |
| 30      | A & N Islands     | 76            | 5             | 81            |
| 31      | Chandigarh        | 327           | 12            | 339           |
| 32      | D & N Haveli      | 153           | 13            | 166           |
| 33      | Daman & Diu       | 29            | 2             | 31            |
| 34      | Delhi             | 10465         | 414           | 10879         |
| 35      | Lakshadweep       | 23            | 0             | 23            |
| 36      | Puducherry        | 104           | 3             | 107           |
| Total   |                   | 270160        | 11916         | 282076        |