Supreme Court Seeks Solutions for Prisoners Stuck in Bail Limbo

The Supreme Court focused on the issue of prisoners unable to avail bail due to failure to furnish surety. They discussed using the e-prison module to identify cases and sought information on this aspect during a suo motu case hearing. Also, the court has directed updates on remission policies.

The Supreme Court of India has raised concerns regarding the inability of prisoners to secure bail due to their failure to provide surety, despite being granted relief by the courts. The issue was highlighted during a hearing presided over by Justices Abhay S. Oka and Augustine George Masih.

The bench examined whether the information available on the e-prison module, a comprehensive jail management system used across the nation, could be leveraged to track such cases. The justices urged parties involved in the hearing to consider this aspect, intending to broaden the scope of the ongoing suo motu case titled 'Policy Strategy for Grant of Bail'.

Prior to this, the Supreme Court had issued directives to standardize remission policies across states and improve transparency. These include ensuring prisons have access to policy copies, mandate English translations online, and notified convicts as to policy changes.

(With inputs from agencies.)