CHANDIGARH:Under UTRC_@75 of NALSA, 151 undertrial prisoners were released from the Model Jail, Chandigarh. The campaing was held from July 20 to August 12 by the SLSA under the guideline of Ms Justice Ritu Bahriu, executive chairperson, SLSA and Mr Justice
Gurbir Singh, district and sessions Judge cum chairman DLSA, Chandigarh.
The campaign started with collection of data from Jail Authority, Model Jail, Chandigarh of all undertrial prisoners lodged in Model Jail, Chandigarh. The data of 816 prisoners (765 male and 51 female) having 1473 cases was submitted to the office of DLSA. The data was scrutinized and 223 prisoners having 420 cases (401 as on 20.07.2022 and 19 additional cases during the campaign) were found eligible to be released under the campaign.
On July 20 last, a preliminary meeting was held with all Judicial Officers; Secretary, DLSA; and Jail Authorities by the District and Sessions Judge, Chandigarh, wherein directions were issued to release undertrial prisoners falling within the above mentioned 16 categories.
Thereafter, as per schedule of NALSA, undertrial review committee (UTRC) meetings were held on 25.07.2022, 01.08.2022, 08.08.2022 and 12.08.2022. The committee consisted of Mr Justice Gurbir Singh, Chairman, DLSA., Chandigarh; Mr Kuldeep Singh
Chahal, Senior Superintendent of Police, Chandigarh; Mr Vinay Pratap Singh, Deputy Commissioner, Chandigarh; Mr Ashok Kr. Mann, Chief Judicial Magistrate-cum-Secretary,
DLSA, Chandigarh; and Ms. Palika Arora, HCS, Superintendent, Model Jail, Chandigarh. During the meetings follow up action was taken.
Sr. No. From - to Total Number of Undertrial Prisoners released
1. From 20.07.2022 to 25.07.2022 5
2. From 25.07.2022 to 01.08.2022 39
3. From 01.08.2022 to 08.08.2022 25
4. 09.08.2022 (Jail Lok Adalat) 37
5. From 10.08.2022 to 12.08.2022 45
Total 151
Further during the campaign undertrial prisoners with outstation cases were identified and the Total number of 50 cases (21 in Haryana; 27 Punjab; 01 Uttar Pradesh; and 01 Himachal Pradesh) were transferred to the respective State Legal Services Authority. Still further 20 undertrial prisoners required bail applications to be filed and 15 undertrial prisoners had cases pending before Punjab
and Haryana High Court, Chandigarh, which were transferred to the High Court Legal Services
Committee, Chandigarh.
Ms. Justice Ritu Bahri, Executive Chairperson, State Legal Services Authority, UT, Chandigarh continuously monitor day-to-day progress of the said campaign and has also issued necessary directions from time to time during the entire campaign panning 25 days. During the said campaign out of 223 eligible prisoners, 151 prisoners (114 prisoners were granted the relief of bail and 37
prisoners’ cases were disposed of during the Jail Lok Adalat, Model Jail, Chandigarh held on
09.08.2022) were released from the Model Jail, Chandigarh.
Speaking about the campaign Mr Justice Gurbir Singh, Chairman, DLSA, Chandigarh said that the credit of the successful campaign was completely owing to the day-to-day monitoring of Ms. Justice Ritu Bahri, He further acknowledged the hard work of Mr Justice Ashok Kr. Mann, CJM-cum- Secretary, DLSA, All Judicial Officers of Chandigarh Sessions Division, UT, Chandigarh; the Superintendent of Model Jail, Chandigarh; and staff and panel advocates of District Legal Services Authority, UT, Chandigarh.