Under the National Mission for Delivery of Justice and Legal Reforms, aimed at reducing the number of undertrials in the country’s jails, more than 92,000 undertrials have been either discharged or granted bail from custody till April 30.
The Allahabad high court has taken the lead over other states by releasing 29,009 inmates from its prisons. UP is followed by Andhra Pradesh high court (9116), Delhi high court (8701), Orissa high court (8566) and Madhya Pradesh high court (6252).
The Bombay high court, with its jurisdiction over Maharashtra, Goa, Daman and Diu, has released 7,252 under trials while the Calcutta high court has freed 287 people.
The mission mode programme was launched on January 26 at the instance of Union law and justice minister Dr M. Veerappa Moily. There were over three lakh under trials languishing in jails contributing to 70 per cent of the jail population. The law minister has stated that under this initiative, by end of July this year, the number of undertrials is expected to be reduced by two thirds.
Up to 70 per cent of over three lakh undertrials in the country, are to be identified by July 31 for discharge or grant of bail, depending on the nature of crime as part of the six-month-long scheme. The exercise will continue till July 31.
The scheme is being implemented in consonance with various high courts of the country and is aimed at decongesting jails.
Since the scheme involves judicial process, the government had requested all 21 high courts to identify cases that could be considered under it.