Lok Sabha Question No. 1386 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-12-08
Subject: Undertrials in Jails
Ministry: HOME AFFAIRS
Asked by: PRATHAP SIMHA, C.S. PUTTARAJU, SHOBHA KARANDLAJE

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1386

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 08 TH  DECEMBER, 2015/AGRAHAYANA 17,1937 (SAKA)

UNDERTRIALS IN JAILS

1386.

SHRI PRATHAP SIMHA: SHRI C.S. PUTTA RAJU: KUMARI SHOBHA KARANDLAJE:

Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a)  the  total  number  of  prisoners  and  undertrials  languishing  in  various jails in the country separately, gender and Statewise;
- (b)  whether  the  Supreme  Court  has  directed  the  Government  to  release undertrials who have already served half of their maximum sentence, if so, the details thereof and the reaction of the Government in this regard;
- (c)  whether  the  Chief  Justice  of  the  High  Courts  have  been  directed  to advise  the  district  judiciary  to  review  all  cases  where  undertrials  are eligible  for  bail  under  Sections  436  and  436A  of  the  Criminal  Procedure Code  and  take suo  moto action  for  their  release  and  if  so,  the  details thereof;

(d)  whether  the  Government  has  any  proposal  to  revamp  the  existing judicial process to ensure time-bound trials and if so, the details thereof;

- (e) whether the Government has set up fast track courts for speedy trial of such cases and if so, the details thereof; and
- (f)  the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  for  speedy  disposal  of  pending cases  in  view  of  the  increasing  number  of  prisoners  languishing  in  jails due to delay in judicial process?

ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI HARIBHAI PARATHIBHAI CHAUDHARY)

(a):   As per data compiled by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) at the end of 2014, there were 4,18,536 inmates in the jails of the country, out of which the undertrials  were 2,82,879. A  State/UT wise list of total inmates and undertrial prisoners is at Annexure.

## L.S.US.Q.NO.1386 FOR 08.12.2015

- (b)&(c): Hon'ble  Supreme  Court  in  its  order  dated  5.9.2014  in  Writ Petition No. 310/2005 - Bhim Singh Vs Union of India & Others relating to undertrial  prisoners  had  directed  for  effective  implementation  of  Section 436A of the Code of Criminal Procedure.

(d)to(f): 'Prisons'  is  a  State  subject  as  per  Entry  4  of  List  II  of  the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution of India. Therefore, the administration and management of prisons is primarily  the responsibility of  the  State  Governments.  However,  the  following  measures  have  been taken by the Government of India in respect of undertrial prisoners:

- (i) A comprehensive advisory dated 17 th  July  2009 has been issued to the States/UTs on 'Prison Administration', which provides for steps to be taken by the States/UTs for providing free legal aid to undertrials, setting up of Lok Adalats/Special courts in prisons for expediting review of cases of  undertrials.  The  same  may  be  downloaded  from  the  website  of  the Ministry of Home Affairs at the following links:

http://mha1.nic.in/PrisonReforms/pdf/PrisonAdmin17072009.pdf

- (ii) An  Advisory  has  been  issued  by  this  Ministry  on  17.1.2013  to States/UTs  regarding use  of  section  436A  of the  Cr.P.C  to  reduce overcrowding of prisons. The same can also be accessed on the website of Ministry of Home Affairs at the link:

http://mha1.nic.in/PrisonReforms/pdf/AdvSec436APrisons-060213\_0.pdf

- (iii) Hon'ble Home Minister has written to Chief Ministers/LG of States/UT on 3.9.2014 regarding use of section 436A  of Cr. P.C. to  reduce overcrowding in jails of India.
- (iv) Director General (Prisons)/Inspector General (Prisons) of all States/UTs have been requested on 22.9.2014 to take necessary action to comply with the order dated 5.9.2014 of the Hon'ble Supreme Court in the matter.
- (v) Advisory dated 27.9.2014 issued to States/UTs on reckoning half-life of  time  spent  in  judicial  custody  of  Undertrial  prisoners  under  Section 436A  of  Cr.  P.  C.  The  same  can  also  be  accessed  on  the  website  of Ministry of Home Affairs at the link:

http://mha1.nic.in/PrisonReforms/pdf/GuidelinesForRreckoningHalfLife\_161 014.pdf

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## PAGE 1 OF 1 OF ANNEXURE

## Annexure referred to in part (a) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question

## No. 1386 for answer on 8.12.2015

| S. No.   | State/UT          | Inmate population   | Inmate population   | Inmate population   | Undertrial prisoners   | Undertrial prisoners   | Undertrial prisoners   |
|----------|-------------------|---------------------|---------------------|---------------------|------------------------|------------------------|------------------------|
|          |                   | Male                | Female              | Total               | Male                   | Female                 | Total                  |
| 1        | Andhra Pradesh    | 7601                | 363                 | 7964                | 5097                   | 221                    | 5318                   |
| 2        | Arunachal Pradesh | 123                 | 4                   | 127                 | 91                     | 4                      | 95                     |
| 3        | Assam             | 8052                | 294                 | 8346                | 5007                   | 186                    | 5193                   |
| 4        | Bihar             | 30204               | 1091                | 31295               | 25822                  | 978                    | 26800                  |
| 5        | Chhattisgarh      | 15726               | 799                 | 16525               | 8895                   | 465                    | 9360                   |
| 6        | Goa               | 500                 | 27                  | 527                 | 363                    | 19                     | 382                    |
| 7        | Gujarat           | 11426               | 522                 | 11948               | 7198                   | 319                    | 7517                   |
| 8        | Haryana           | 17858               | 784                 | 18642               | 10685                  | 439                    | 11124                  |
| 9        | Himachal Pradesh  | 2043                | 77                  | 2120                | 1171                   | 45                     | 1216                   |
| 10       | Jammu & Kashmir   | 2202                | 82                  | 2284                | 1829                   | 70                     | 1899                   |
| 11       | Jharkhand         | 16823               | 865                 | 17688               | 13072                  | 718                    | 13790                  |
| 12       | Karnataka         | 13632               | 589                 | 14221               | 9441                   | 371                    | 9812                   |
| 13       | Kerala            | 6907                | 171                 | 7078                | 4364                   | 107                    | 4471                   |
| 14       | Madhya Pradesh    | 35283               | 1150                | 36433               | 18561                  | 627                    | 19188                  |
| 15       | Maharashtra       | 26438               | 1430                | 27868               | 18867                  | 1028                   | 19895                  |
| 16       | Manipur           | 607                 | 37                  | 644                 | 479                    | 31                     | 510                    |
| 17       | Meghalaya         | 810                 | 3                   | 813                 | 695                    | 2                      | 697                    |
| 18       | Mizoram           | 994                 | 60                  | 1054                | 511                    | 44                     | 555                    |
| 19       | Nagaland          | 433                 | 10                  | 443                 | 328                    | 8                      | 336                    |
| 20       | Odisha            | 14302               | 538                 | 14840               | 11123                  | 430                    | 11553                  |
| 21       | Punjab            | 24703               | 1304                | 26007               | 14694                  | 773                    | 15467                  |
| 22       | Rajasthan         | 19665               | 694                 | 20359               | 14145                  | 463                    | 14608                  |
| 23       | Sikkim            | 258                 | 6                   | 264                 | 153                    | 4                      | 157                    |
| 24       | Tamil Nadu        | 15266               | 608                 | 15874               | 8621                   | 413                    | 9034                   |
| 25       | Telangana         | 5559                | 446                 | 6005                | 3506                   | 277                    | 3783                   |
| 26       | Tripura           | 881                 | 28                  | 909                 | 390                    | 17                     | 407                    |
| 27       | Uttar Pradesh     | 84649               | 3572                | 88221               | 59913                  | 2602                   | 62515                  |
| 28       | Uttarakhand       | 3893                | 162                 | 4055                | 1985                   | 71                     | 2056                   |
| 29       | West Bengal       | 18752               | 1317                | 20069               | 13143                  | 907                    | 14050                  |
| 30       | A & N Islands     | 764                 | 5                   | 769                 | 83                     | 4                      | 87                     |
| 31       | Chandigarh        | 670                 | 32                  | 702                 | 388                    | 14                     | 352                    |
| 32       | D & N Haveli      | 198                 | 1                   | 199                 | 198                    | 1                      | 199                    |
| 33       | Daman & Diu       | 78                  | 1                   | 79                  | 63                     | 0                      | 63                     |
| 34       | Delhi             | 13248               | 602                 | 13850               | 9738                   | 433                    | 10171                  |
| 35       | Lakshadweep       | 28                  | 0                   | 28                  | 28                     | 0                      | 28                     |
| 36       | Puducherry        | 279                 | 7                   | 286                 | 186                    | 5                      | 191                    |
| Total    |                   | 400855              | 17681               | 418536              | 270783                 | 12096                  | 282879                 |