Lok Sabha Question No. 5618 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-27
Subject: Undertrial Prisoners in various Prisons
Ministry: LAW AND JUSTICE
Asked by: Shri Shyamkumar Daulat Barve

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF LAW AND JUSTICE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5618

## TO BE ANSWERED ON FRIDAY, THE 27 TH  MARCH, 2026

## UNDERTRIAL PRISONERS IN VARIOUS PRISONS

## 5618. SHRI SHYAMKUMAR DAULAT BARVE:

Will the Minister of LAW AND JUSTICE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is aware that the number of undertrial prisoners in various prisons across the country has been continuously increasing, due to which many prisoners remain in jail for a long period without a final decision in their cases;
- (b) if so, the total number of undertrial prisoners in the country, as on date, State/UT-wise;
- (c) whether the Government is considering any concrete plan to reduce the number of undertrial prisoners and to ensure speedy disposal of such cases; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF LAW AND JUSTICE; AND MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS

## (SHRI ARJUN RAM MEGHWAL)

- (a) & (b): 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'. As per the latest published data for the year 2023, State/UT wise number of undertrial prisoners confined in jails of the country as on 31.12.2023 are attached as Annexure-A .  These  data  are  readily  available  on  National  Crime  Records  Bureau website: https://www.ncrb.gov.in/ uploads/files/PSI-20231.pdf.
- (c) & (d): 'Prisons and Prisoners' is a State-list subject under Entry 4 of List II of the Seventh Schedule  to  the  Constitution  of  India.  Therefore,  the  administration  and  management  of prisons and  prisoners  is the  responsibility  of  respective  State  Governments.  Central Government has also been supplementing the efforts of State Governments in this regard.

With the objective of providing financial assistance to poor prisoners, who are unable to pay the fine imposed on them or are unable to secure bail due to financial constraints, the

Government is implementing a Scheme named 'Support to Poor Prisoners'. The guidelines and SOP for implementation of the Scheme, has provision for bail assistance amounting upto Rs.  1  lakh,  prescribing  timelines  for  case  processing,  and  simplification  of  procedures  for drawal and utilisation of funds. For implementation of the Scheme, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had provided an annual financial outlay of Rs. 20 crore for three financial years i.e. 2023-24, 2024-25 and 2025-26.

Further, National Legal Services Authority (NALSA)  has taken initiatives for establishment of Under Trial Review Committees (UTRCs) in all the districts to recommend for  release  of  eligible  undertrial  prisoners  and  convicts.  Quarterly  meetings  are  held  by UTRCs across the country. The number of undertrial prisoners recommended by UTRCs and released during last three years are as under:

| Year   | No. of UTPs/ Convicts recommended for bail/ release   | No. of inmates released pursuant to UTRCs recommendations   |
|--------|-------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------|
| 2023   | 73,274                                                | 34,232                                                      |
| 2024   | 53,594                                                | 25,982                                                      |
| 2025   | 40,434                                                | 22,523                                                      |
| Total  | 1,67,302                                              | 82,737                                                      |

In addition to the above, Government has taken initiatives to operationalize bail reforms for  reducing  the  number  of  undertrial  prisoners  in  the  country.  Section  479  (1)  of  the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) provides that ' Where a person has, during the period of investigation, inquiry or trial under this Sanhita of an offence under any law (not being an offence for which the punishment of death or life imprisonment has been specified as one of the punishments under that law) undergone detention for a period extending up to onehalf  of  the  maximum  period  of  imprisonment  specified  for  that  offence  under  that  law,  he shall be released by the Court on bail .'

The  Proviso  under  Section  479  (1)  of  the  BNSS  provides  further  relief  to  first  time offenders/undertrial prisoners and provides that  ' where such person is a first-time offender (who has never been convicted of any offence in the past), he shall be released on bond by the Court, if he has undergone detention for the period extending up to one-third of the maximum period of imprisonment specified for such offence under that law '.

*****

Statement referred to in reply to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 5618 for answer on 27.03.2026 regarding 'Undertrial Prisoners in various Prisons'.

| State/UT wise total number of Undertrial Prisoners in the Country as on 31.12.2023   | State/UT wise total number of Undertrial Prisoners in the Country as on 31.12.2023   | State/UT wise total number of Undertrial Prisoners in the Country as on 31.12.2023   |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| S. No.                                                                               | State/UT                                                                             | Total                                                                                |
| 1                                                                                    | Andaman &Nicobar Islands                                                             | 168                                                                                  |
| 2                                                                                    | Andhra Pradesh                                                                       | 5,568                                                                                |
| 3                                                                                    | Arunachal Pradesh                                                                    | 188                                                                                  |
| 4                                                                                    | Assam                                                                                | 7,546                                                                                |
| 5                                                                                    | Bihar                                                                                | 46,529                                                                               |
| 6                                                                                    | Chandigarh                                                                           | 718                                                                                  |
| 7                                                                                    | Chhattisgarh                                                                         | 11,520                                                                               |
| 8                                                                                    | Dadra &Nagar Haveli and Daman &Diu                                                   | 134                                                                                  |
| 9                                                                                    | Delhi                                                                                | 17,834                                                                               |
| 10                                                                                   | Goa                                                                                  | 476                                                                                  |
| 11                                                                                   | Gujarat                                                                              | 11,549                                                                               |
| 12                                                                                   | Haryana                                                                              | 19,292                                                                               |
| 13                                                                                   | Himachal Pradesh                                                                     | 1,827                                                                                |
| 14                                                                                   | Jammu &Kashmir                                                                       | 4,568                                                                                |
| 15                                                                                   | Jharkhand                                                                            | 13,584                                                                               |
| 16                                                                                   | Karnataka                                                                            | 11,723                                                                               |
| 17                                                                                   | Kerala                                                                               | 6,064                                                                                |
| 18                                                                                   | Ladakh                                                                               | 42                                                                                   |
| 19                                                                                   | Lakshadweep                                                                          | 3                                                                                    |
| 20                                                                                   | Madhya Pradesh                                                                       | 22,964                                                                               |
| 21                                                                                   | Maharashtra $                                                                        | 32,438                                                                               |
| 22                                                                                   | Manipur                                                                              | 416                                                                                  |
| 23                                                                                   | Meghalaya                                                                            | 881                                                                                  |
| 24                                                                                   | Mizoram                                                                              | 1,247                                                                                |
| 25                                                                                   | Nagaland                                                                             | 432                                                                                  |
| 26                                                                                   | Odisha                                                                               | 14,778                                                                               |
| 27                                                                                   | Puducherry                                                                           | 304                                                                                  |
| 28                                                                                   | Punjab                                                                               | 24,503                                                                               |
| 29                                                                                   | Rajasthan                                                                            | 17,263                                                                               |
| 30                                                                                   | Sikkim                                                                               | 171                                                                                  |
| 31                                                                                   | Tamil Nadu                                                                           | 12,351                                                                               |
| 32                                                                                   | Telangana                                                                            | 3,799                                                                                |
| 33                                                                                   | Tripura                                                                              | 847                                                                                  |
| 34                                                                                   | Uttar Pradesh                                                                        | 73,491                                                                               |
| 35                                                                                   | Uttarakhand                                                                          | 4,398                                                                                |
| 36                                                                                   | West Bengal                                                                          | 20,294                                                                               |
|                                                                                      | Total                                                                                | 3,89,910                                                                             |

Source:  Prison  Statistics  India  2023  Report  by  National  Crime  Records  Bureau,  Ministry  of Home Affairs.