The high court had directed the State Legal ServicesAuthority (SLSA) and the state government to jointly addressthe issue of overcrowding in correctional homes and tofacilitate the release of undertrials on interim bail andconvicts on parole as per applicability and had formed ahigh-level committee for the purpose.
The HC order had come following a Supreme Courtdirection to all states and union territories to constitutehigh-level committees to consider releasing on parole orinterim bail prisoners and undertrials for offences entailingup to 7-year jail term to decongest prisons in the wake ofcoronavirus pandemic.
Passing the order on Wednesday, a division benchcomprising Chief Justice T B N Radhakrishnan and JusticeArijit Banerjee directed that the state government shallensure that the guidelines and directions issued by theconcerned central agencies, including those under the DisasterManagement Act, 2005, are followed to the extent they arerelevant and applicable to the scenario prevalent in thestate.
As regards the release of the convicts and undertrialson parole or interim bail, if any difficulty arises, the samemay be brought to the notice of the high powered committeeformed for the purpose, with appropriate suggestions toovercome such difficulty.
A report filed by the additional director general,correctional services, with regard to the precautionarymeasures adopted in the correctional homes to contain thespread of COVID-19 was also placed before the division bench.
The matter will come up for hearing again on April 30before the bench. AMRRG RG