By IANS,
New Delhi : Law Minister M.Veerappa Moily Thursday said that there has been an increase in the number of prisoners in the country’s jails, but denied this was solely due to the delay in justice delivery system.
“Although the number of prisoners in jails has shown an increase, this cannot be attributed solely to the delay in justice system,” Moily told the Lok Sabha in a written reply.
There had been an increase of 18,028 prisoners including convicts, undertrials and detenues in the jails between 2005 to 2007. In 2005, a total of 3,58,368 prisoners were lodged in different jails.
To a question about the steps being taken by the government for speedy trial of people imprisoned without any conviction, Moily said fast track courts have been set up for fast disposal of long pending cases in the sessions courts and of the cases of undertrial prisoners.
“The concept of plea-bargaining was introduced in the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, to reduce delay in the disposal of criminal trials and appeals and also to alleviate the suffering of undertrial prisoners,” he added.
Moily informed the house that a scheme for computerisation of district and subordinate courts is being implemented for speedy disposal of cases in courts.