About Undertrials in India:
- The situation concerning undertrials in India is a cause for serious alarm. In the year 2021, a striking 77% of the entire prison population in India consisted of undertrials, signifying that these individuals had not been formally convicted of any criminal offense. This represents a notable escalation from the 68% of undertrials recorded in 2019 and establishes the highest proportion of undertrials in any country globally.
Key Recommendations of the report:
Use of Ankle Trackers or Bracelets for Inmates:
- The Parliamentary Committee on Home Affairs has put forth a suggestion to address prison overcrowding by introducing ankle trackers or bracelets. These tracking devices would be designed to be cost-effective and would be worn by individuals who have been granted bail and are temporarily released from prison.
- The primary objective behind these trackers is to closely monitor the movements of these individuals and ensure their compliance with the conditions of their bail. This proposal stems from the recognition that bail is often denied for three reasons: concerns about undertrial prisoners potentially influencing witnesses, attempting to leave the country, or engaging in further criminal activities while on bail.
Voluntary Use and Informed Consent:
- The report emphasizes the importance of upholding human rights and ethical principles in the use of ankle trackers.
- To prevent potential human rights violations, the panel recommends that the use of ankle trackers should be entirely voluntary.
- Inmates should provide informed consent before wearing these tracking devices.
The current article is regarding the Report on the Status of Undertrials. Rishabh has written this article after the approval of our respected mentor Dr Bijendra Jha. The post focuses on the severe problem of pending cases with undertrial matters in the court. Most of the undertrial accused are not convicted of any criminal matters. This situation needs to be improved to reduce the burden on courts in India.
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