Lok Sabha Question No. 5396 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-04-05
Subject: Undertrials Prisoners
Ministry: HOME AFFAIRS
Asked by: Srinivas Kesineni

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5396

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 05 TH  APRIL, 2022/ CHAITRA 15, 1944 (SAKA)

UNDERTRIALS PRISONERS

5396.      SHRI KESINENI SRINIVAS:

Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

(a) the number of undertrials in prisons during the last five years, State-wise;

(b) whether the Government can provide reasons for the increasing number of undertrials in prisons each subsequent year and if so, the details thereof;

(c) the number of undertrials spending more than a year in prisons during the said period, State-wise; and

(d) the reasons for such a large proportion of undertrials spending over a year in  prisons  without  being  convicted  and  the  details  of  action  that  has  been taken by the Government to remedy the situation?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI AJAY KUMAR MISHRA)

(a)  to  (d):  National  Crime  Records  Bureau  (NCRB)  compiles  prison  statistics reported  to  it  by  the  States  and  Union  Territories  (UTs)  and  publishes  the same in its annual publication 'Prison Statistics India'. The latest published report  is  of  the  year  2020.  State/UT-wise  details  of  number  of  undertrial prisoners lodged in the jails of the country as on 31 st  December of 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020 are given in Annexure-I.

## LS.US.Q.NO.5396 FOR 05.04.2022

State/UT-wise  number  of  undertrial  prisoners  who  have  been  confined  for more than 1 year in the jails of the country as on 31 st  December of 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020 are given in Annexure-II(i) to Annexure II(v) respectively. Undertrial prisoners are detained in the prisons as per the order of the Courts by  following  due  process  of  law.  'Prisons'/'persons  detained  therein'  is  a 'State'  subject  under  Entry  4  of  List  II  of  the  Seventh  Schedule  to  the Constitution of India. Administration and management of prison inmates is the responsibility of respective State Governments. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has taken various initiatives to address the issue of undertrial prisoners lodged in the jails of the country. MHA has issued several advisories to States and  UTs  for  adopting  appropriate  measures  to  provide  legal  assistance  to undertrial  prisoners.  The  Model  Prison  Manual  2016  circulated  to  all  States and UTs has a Chapter on 'Legal Aid' which provides the details of facilities which  may  be  provided  to  undertrial  inmates,  viz.  legal  defence,  interview with  lawyer,  application  to  Courts  for  legal  aid  at  Government  cost  etc. Section  436A  has  been  inserted  in  the  Code  of  Criminal  Procedure,  which provides  for  release  of  an  under-trial  prisoner  on  bail  after  undergoing detention  for  a  period  extending  up  to  one-half  of  the  maximum  period  of imprisonment specified for an offence under any law (not being an offence for which the punishment of death has been specified as one of the punishments under that law).  The concept of  plea  bargaining   has  also  been  introduced

## LS.US.Q.NO.5396 FOR 05.04.2022

by  inserting  a  new 'Chapter XXIA'  on 'Plea Bargaining' (Sections 265A to 265L of CrPC), which enables pre-trial negotiation between the defendant and the prosecution. E-prisons Software, which is a Prison Management Application  integrated  with  Interoperable  Criminal  Justice  System  provides facility to State Jail authorities to access the data of undertrial inmates in a quick manner and helps them in identifying undertrial inmates whose cases are due for consideration by the Under Trial Review Committee. On directions of  the  Hon'ble  Supreme  Court  of  India,  National  Legal  Services  Authority (NALSA) had prepared a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for Under-Trial Review Committees. This SOP has been circulated by MHA to all States and UTs. State Legal Services Authorities have established Legal Service Clinics in  jails  for  providing  free  legal  aid  to  persons  in  need.  About  1091  Legal Service Clinics have  been  established in jails which  are operated  by Empanelled Legal Services Advocates and trained Para-Legal Volunteers.

## LS.US.Q.NO.5396 FOR 05.04.2022

## Annexure-I

## State/UT-wise details of number of Undertrial prisoners lodged in Prisons as on 31st December of 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 & 2020

| Sl. No.   | State/UT          | 2016   | 2017   | 2018   | 2019   |   2020 |
|-----------|-------------------|--------|--------|--------|--------|--------|
| 1         | ANDHRA PRADESH    | 4644   | 5670   | 4201   | 4769   |   5001 |
| 2         | ARUNACHAL PRADESH | 138    | 118    | 118    | 106    |    127 |
| 3         | ASSAM             | 5208   | 5060   | 5079   | 6130   |   6495 |
| 4         | BIHAR             | 27753  | 33933  | 31488  | 31275  |  44187 |
| 5         | CHHATTISGARH      | 10363  | 10850  | 10137  | 9829   |  11963 |
| 6         | GOA               | 274    | 253    | 286    | 369    |    419 |
| 7         | GUJARAT           | 7917   | 8367   | 9962   | 9799   |  10195 |
| 8         | HARYANA           | 10430  | 11636  | 12176  | 13160  |  14951 |
| 9         | HIMACHAL PRADESH  | 1312   | 1183   | 1388   | 1425   |   1574 |
| 10        | JHARKHAND         | 12756  | 13508  | 15629  | 12759  |  17103 |
| 11        | KARNATAKA         | 10504  | 10199  | 10109  | 10500  |  10577 |
| 12        | KERALA            | 4252   | 4842   | 4905   | 4330   |   3569 |
| 13        | MADHYA PRADESH    | 20618  | 21268  | 23123  | 24157  |  31712 |
| 14        | MAHARASHTRA       | 22693  | 24474  | 26898  | 27557  |  26171 |
| 15        | MANIPUR           | 523    | 667    | 816    | 758    |    506 |
| 16        | MEGHALAYA         | 743    | 773    | 814    | 861    |    821 |
| 17        | MIZORAM           | 577    | 661    | 963    | 1097   |    609 |
| 18        | NAGALAND          | 296    | 281    | 304    | 314    |    261 |
| 19        | ODISHA            | 11770  | 11553  | 12649  | 13803  |  15619 |
| 20        | PUNJAB            | 12621  | 14209  | 13904  | 15949  |  15643 |
| 21        | RAJASTHAN         | 14817  | 14126  | 14501  | 15378  |  16930 |
| 22        | SIKKIM            | 196    | 185    | 223    | 255    |    328 |
| 23        | TAMIL NADU        | 8131   | 7946   | 9235   | 9244   |   8709 |
| 24        | TELANGANA         | 3923   | 3363   | 3194   | 4384   |   3946 |
| 25        | TRIPURA           | 364    | 459    | 527    | 568    |    472 |
| 26        | UTTAR PRADESH     | 68432  | 68762  | 75206  | 73418  |  80557 |
| 27        | UTTARAKHAND       | 2224   | 2601   | 3224   | 3373   |   3906 |
| 28        | WEST BENGAL       | 15868  | 16478  | 17082  | 18907  |  20144 |
| 29        | A & N ISLANDS     | 77     | 86     | 103    | 132    |    194 |
| 30        | CHANDIGARH        | 389    | 508    | 595    | 580    |    619 |
| 31        | DNH & DAMAN DIU + | 161    | 70     | 82     | 92     |    138 |
| 32        | DELHI             | 10942  | 12264  | 12470  | 14382  |  14506 |
| 33        | JAMMU & KASHMIR * | 1959   | 2181   | 2568   | 3075   |   3717 |
| 34        | LADAKH            | -      | -      | -      | -      |     21 |
| 35        | LAKSHADWEEP       | 7      | 2      | 1      | 4      |      2 |
| 36        | PUDUCHERRY        | 176    | 182    | 181    | 177    |    156 |
|           | TOTAL             | 293058 | 308718 | 324141 | 332916 | 371848 |

'+'    combined data of erstwhile D & N Haveli UT and Daman & Diu UT for the years 2016 to 2019.

'*'     data of erstwhile Jammu & Kashmir State including Ladakh for the years 2016 to 2019.

## LS.US.Q.NO.5396 FOR 05.04.2022

## Annexure-II (i)

## State/UT-wise number of undertrial prisoners who have been confined for more than 1 year in the jails of the country as on 31 st December, 2016

| Sl.   | State/UT          | 1 to 2 Years   | 2 to 3 Years   | 3 to 5 Years   | Above 5 Years   |
|-------|-------------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|-----------------|
| 1     | Andhra Pradesh    | 43             | 11             | 5              | 3               |
| 2     | Arunachal Pradesh | 37             | 6              | 2              | 0               |
| 3     | Assam             | 321            | 111            | 87             | 19              |
| 4     | Bihar             | 3248           | 1794           | 809            | 143             |
| 5     | Chhattisgarh      | 1732           | 510            | 211            | 38              |
| 6     | Goa               | 52             | 19             | 10             | 0               |
| 7     | Gujarat           | 1152           | 813            | 565            | 252             |
| 8     | Haryana           | 1217           | 381            | 171            | 8               |
| 9     | Himachal Pradesh  | 277            | 132            | 32             | 3               |
| 10    | Jharkhand         | 1790           | 1184           | 917            | 283             |
| 11    | Karnataka         | 1128           | 420            | 154            | 62              |
| 12    | Kerala            | 294            | 215            | 0              | 0               |
| 13    | Madhya Pradesh    | 2517           | 878            | 427            | 70              |
| 14    | Maharashtra       | 2000           | 1750           | 1234           | 284             |
| 15    | Manipur           | 101            | 42             | 33             | 17              |
| 16    | Meghalaya         | 88             | 46             | 41             | 13              |
| 17    | Mizoram           | 37             | 0              | 0              | 0               |
| 18    | Nagaland          | 49             | 13             | 5              | 2               |
| 19    | Odisha            | 1895           | 887            | 608            | 83              |
| 20    | Punjab            | 2171           | 1165           | 343            | 53              |
| 21    | Rajasthan         | 2014           | 1413           | 826            | 243             |
| 22    | Sikkim            | 21             | 3              | 0              | 0               |
| 23    | Tamil Nadu        | 312            | 101            | 54             | 2               |
| 24    | Telangana         | 27             | 0              | 0              | 0               |
| 25    | Tripura           | 19             | 0              | 1              | 0               |
| 26    | Uttar Pradesh     | 9390           | 5853           | 3886           | 1726            |
| 27    | Uttarakhand       | 298            | 157            | 42             | 6               |
| 28    | West Bengal       | 1497           | 775            | 759            | 309             |
| 29    | A &NIslands       | 9              | 3              | 9              | 3               |
| 30    | Chandigarh        | 16             | 16             | 0              | 1               |
| 31    | DNH &Daman Diu +  | 18             | 4              | 0              | 0               |
| 32    | Delhi             | 2251           | 816            | 350            | 129             |
| 33    | Jammu &Kashmir *  | 319            | 371            | 252            | 174             |
| 34    | Ladakh            | -              | -              | -              | -               |
| 35    | Lakshadweep       | 0              | 0              | 0              | 0               |
| 36    | Puducherry        | 6              | 0              | 1              | 1               |
|       | Total (All-India) | 36346          | 19889          | 11834          | 3927            |

## LS.US.Q.NO.5396 FOR 05.04.2022

Annexure-II (ii)

## State/UT-wise number of undertrial prisoners who have been confined for more than 1 year in the

jails of the country as on 31 st December, 2017

| Sl.   | State/UT          | 1 to 2 Years   | 2 to 3 Years   | 3 to 5 Years   | Above 5 Years   |
|-------|-------------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|-----------------|
| 1     | Andhra Pradesh    | 44             | 17             | 7              | 2               |
| 2     | Arunachal Pradesh | 18             | 15             | 9              | 0               |
| 3     | Assam             | 304            | 98             | 81             | 12              |
| 4     | Bihar             | 3553           | 1664           | 761            | 121             |
| 5     | Chhattisgarh      | 1789           | 445            | 225            | 24              |
| 6     | Goa               | 53             | 1              | 0              | 8               |
| 7     | Gujarat           | 1322           | 722            | 611            | 684             |
| 8     | Haryana           | 1171           | 308            | 81             | 5               |
| 9     | Himachal Pradesh  | 302            | 167            | 67             | 3               |
| 10    | Jharkhand         | 1743           | 1075           | 814            | 233             |
| 11    | Karnataka         | 1130           | 381            | 150            | 60              |
| 12    | Kerala            | 179            | 54             | 27             | 12              |
| 13    | Madhya Pradesh    | 2656           | 1070           | 438            | 118             |
| 14    | Maharashtra       | 3361           | 2865           | 2138           | 597             |
| 15    | Manipur           | 102            | 50             | 35             | 23              |
| 16    | Meghalaya         | 113            | 36             | 21             | 15              |
| 17    | Mizoram           | 48             | 15             | 0              | 0               |
| 18    | Nagaland          | 27             | 15             | 5              | 2               |
| 19    | Odisha            | 1510           | 863            | 673            | 113             |
| 20    | Punjab            | 1974           | 1076           | 296            | 18              |
| 21    | Rajasthan         | 1981           | 1404           | 900            | 279             |
| 22    | Sikkim            | 24             | 4              | 1              | 0               |
| 23    | Tamil Nadu        | 284            | 108            | 24             | 5               |
| 24    | Telangana         | 62             | 2              | 1              | 28              |
| 25    | Tripura           | 22             | 5              | 2              | 0               |
| 26    | Uttar Pradesh     | 10092          | 6301           | 4166           | 1794            |
| 27    | Uttarakhand       | 327            | 211            | 98             | 38              |
| 28    | West Bengal       | 1598           | 994            | 767            | 303             |
| 29    | A &NIslands       | 12             | 2              | 5              | 3               |
| 30    | Chandigarh        | 45             | 14             | 1              | 1               |
| 31    | DNH &Daman Diu +  | 0              | 5              | 2              | 0               |
| 32    | Delhi             | 1738           | 937            | 503            | 146             |
| 33    | Jammu &Kashmir *  | 306            | 243            | 234            | 228             |
| 34    | Ladakh            | -              | -              | -              | -               |
| 35    | Lakshadweep       | 0              | 0              | 0              | 0               |
| 36    | Puducherry        | 3              | 1              | 0              | 1               |
|       | Total (All-India) | 37893          | 21168          | 13143          | 4876            |

## LS.US.Q.NO.5396 FOR 05.04.2022

Annexure-II(iii) State/UT-wise number of undertrial prisoners who have been confined for more than 1 year in the jails of the country as on 31 st December, 2018

| Sl.   | State/UT          | 1 to 2 Years   | 2 to 3 Years   | 3 to 5 Years   | Above 5 Years   |
|-------|-------------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|-----------------|
| 1     | Andhra Pradesh    | 158            | 83             | 6              | 4               |
| 2     | Arunachal Pradesh | 11             | 9              | 10             | 0               |
| 3     | Assam             | 308            | 65             | 51             | 0               |
| 4     | Bihar             | 3146           | 1671           | 686            | 184             |
| 5     | Chhattisgarh      | 1727           | 479            | 210            | 9               |
| 6     | Goa               | 87             | 41             | 0              | 11              |
| 7     | Gujarat           | 1153           | 674            | 533            | 327             |
| 8     | Haryana           | 1656           | 468            | 133            | 7               |
| 9     | Himachal Pradesh  | 216            | 175            | 99             | 6               |
| 10    | Jharkhand         | 1860           | 1093           | 915            | 410             |
| 11    | Karnataka         | 1364           | 692            | 428            | 127             |
| 12    | Kerala            | 212            | 81             | 35             | 7               |
| 13    | Madhya Pradesh    | 3029           | 1203           | 547            | 72              |
| 14    | Maharashtra       | 3835           | 3167           | 1994           | 879             |
| 15    | Manipur           | 122            | 46             | 39             | 21              |
| 16    | Meghalaya         | 134            | 63             | 38             | 13              |
| 17    | Mizoram           | 51             | 8              | 6              | 0               |
| 18    | Nagaland          | 35             | 11             | 3              | 2               |
| 19    | Odisha            | 1793           | 848            | 792            | 155             |
| 20    | Punjab            | 2066           | 788            | 294            | 27              |
| 21    | Rajasthan         | 2040           | 1294           | 890            | 253             |
| 22    | Sikkim            | 27             | 2              | 1              | 0               |
| 23    | Tamil Nadu        | 580            | 171            | 70             | 12              |
| 24    | Telangana         | 48             | 2              | 0              | 0               |
| 25    | Tripura           | 28             | 6              | 0              | 0               |
| 26    | Uttar Pradesh     | 10305          | 6956           | 4707           | 1881            |
| 27    | Uttarakhand       | 356            | 321            | 135            | 21              |
| 28    | West Bengal       | 1746           | 1038           | 722            | 230             |
| 29    | A &NIslands       | 8              | 10             | 6              | 2               |
| 30    | Chandigarh        | 48             | 13             | 3              | 2               |
| 31    | DNH &Daman Diu +  | 11             | 2              | 2              | 0               |
| 32    | Delhi             | 1812           | 695            | 674            | 154             |
| 33    | Jammu &Kashmir *  | 372            | 228            | 241            | 215             |
| 34    | Ladakh            | -              | -              | -              | -               |
| 35    | Lakshadweep       | 1              | 0              | 0              | 0               |
| 36    | Puducherry        | 20             | 0              | 1              | 0               |
|       | Total (All-India) | 40365          | 22403          | 14271          | 5031            |

## LS.US.Q.NO.5396 FOR 05.04.2022

Annexure-II (iv) State/UT-wise number of undertrial prisoners who have been confined for more than 1 year in the jails of the country as on 31 st December, 2019

| Sl.   | State/UT          | 1 to 2 Years   | 2 to 3 Years   | 3 to 5 Years   | Above 5 Years   |
|-------|-------------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|-----------------|
| 1     | Andhra Pradesh    | 143            | 24             | 18             | 1               |
| 2     | Arunachal Pradesh | 14             | 12             | 9              | 5               |
| 3     | Assam             | 381            | 125            | 75             | 23              |
| 4     | Bihar             | 3254           | 1518           | 949            | 270             |
| 5     | Chhattisgarh      | 1749           | 569            | 172            | 46              |
| 6     | Goa               | 110            | 49             | 0              | 11              |
| 7     | Gujarat           | 1457           | 731            | 639            | 223             |
| 8     | Haryana           | 1844           | 642            | 193            | 16              |
| 9     | Himachal Pradesh  | 331            | 93             | 131            | 13              |
| 10    | Jharkhand         | 1920           | 1039           | 627            | 227             |
| 11    | Karnataka         | 1590           | 739            | 413            | 124             |
| 12    | Kerala            | 195            | 87             | 29             | 14              |
| 13    | Madhya Pradesh    | 3991           | 1136           | 617            | 118             |
| 14    | Maharashtra       | 5153           | 3463           | 1828           | 394             |
| 15    | Manipur           | 98             | 53             | 41             | 17              |
| 16    | Meghalaya         | 114            | 60             | 51             | 18              |
| 17    | Mizoram           | 34             | 7              | 3              | 0               |
| 18    | Nagaland          | 45             | 11             | 8              | 0               |
| 19    | Odisha            | 1849           | 859            | 769            | 275             |
| 20    | Punjab            | 2073           | 647            | 192            | 22              |
| 21    | Rajasthan         | 2033           | 1312           | 819            | 263             |
| 22    | Sikkim            | 55             | 7              | 0              | 0               |
| 23    | Tamil Nadu        | 434            | 173            | 63             | 12              |
| 24    | Telangana         | 98             | 18             | 12             | 2               |
| 25    | Tripura           | 18             | 4              | 0              | 1               |
| 26    | Uttar Pradesh     | 10174          | 6752           | 4569           | 2142            |
| 27    | Uttarakhand       | 354            | 139            | 81             | 18              |
| 28    | West Bengal       | 2292           | 1855           | 626            | 130             |
| 29    | A &NIslands       | 6              | 3              | 5              | 0               |
| 30    | Chandigarh        | 182            | 17             | 5              | 0               |
| 31    | DNH &Daman Diu +  | 12             | 3              | 1              | 0               |
| 32    | Delhi             | 2265           | 880            | 757            | 252             |
| 33    | Jammu &Kashmir *  | 556            | 281            | 205            | 201             |
| 34    | Ladakh            | -              | -              | -              | -               |
| 35    | Lakshadweep       | 0              | 0              | 1              | 0               |
| 36    | Puducherry        | 5              | 4              | 0              | 0               |
|       | Total (All-India) | 44829          | 23312          | 13908          | 4838            |

## LS.US.Q.NO.5396 FOR 05.04.2022

## Annexure-II(v)

State/UT-wise number of undertrial prisoners who have been confined for more than 1 year in the jails of the country as on 31 st December, 2020

| Sl.   | State/UT          |   1 to 2 Years |   2 to 3 Years |   3 to 5 Years |   Above 5 Years |
|-------|-------------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|-----------------|
| 1     | Andhra Pradesh    |            248 |             55 |             15 |              13 |
| 2     | Arunachal Pradesh |             19 |              9 |             11 |               3 |
| 3     | Assam             |            330 |            112 |             83 |              27 |
| 4     | Bihar             |           4320 |           1872 |            878 |             252 |
| 5     | Chhattisgarh      |           2460 |           1056 |            436 |              30 |
| 6     | Goa               |            129 |             58 |              0 |              13 |
| 7     | Gujarat           |           1661 |            976 |            700 |             335 |
| 8     | Haryana           |           2619 |            924 |            339 |              41 |
| 9     | Himachal Pradesh  |            276 |            245 |            144 |              35 |
| 10    | Jharkhand         |           2636 |           1625 |           1105 |             304 |
| 11    | Karnataka         |           1663 |            820 |            454 |             307 |
| 12    | Kerala            |            215 |             52 |             45 |              20 |
| 13    | Madhya Pradesh    |           5495 |           1721 |            881 |             162 |
| 14    | Maharashtra       |           4014 |           3517 |           2338 |             553 |
| 15    | Manipur           |             67 |             40 |             48 |              20 |
| 16    | Meghalaya         |            109 |             84 |             65 |              23 |
| 17    | Mizoram           |             61 |             22 |             11 |               0 |
| 18    | Nagaland          |             32 |             18 |             14 |               1 |
| 19    | Odisha            |           2248 |           1223 |            962 |             459 |
| 20    | Punjab            |           2006 |            663 |            264 |              44 |
| 21    | Rajasthan         |           2816 |           1460 |            917 |             474 |
| 22    | Sikkim            |             92 |             58 |              1 |               0 |
| 23    | Tamil Nadu        |            443 |            189 |             86 |              14 |
| 24    | Telangana         |            651 |            118 |             18 |              10 |
| 25    | Tripura           |             58 |              7 |              3 |               0 |
| 26    | Uttar Pradesh     |          12442 |           7504 |           5248 |            2877 |
| 27    | Uttarakhand       |            644 |            327 |            138 |              24 |
| 28    | West Bengal       |           3262 |           2898 |            630 |             200 |
| 29    | A &NIslands       |             27 |              5 |              2 |               4 |
| 30    | Chandigarh        |            140 |             53 |             11 |               0 |
| 31    | DNH &Daman Diu    |             15 |              9 |              4 |               0 |
| 32    | Delhi             |           2346 |           1063 |            486 |             624 |
| 33    | Jammu &Kashmir    |            729 |            403 |            263 |             258 |
| 34    | Ladakh            |             10 |              6 |              0 |               1 |
| 35    | Lakshadweep       |              0 |              0 |              1 |               0 |
| 36    | Puducherry        |              4 |              2 |              2 |               0 |
|       | Total (All-India) |          54287 |          29194 |          16603 |            7128 |