Delhi HC seeks govt report over women undertrials in jails

The Delhi high court on Monday expressed displeasure on women undertrial prisoners languishing in jails despite undergoing detention for half of their terms and asked the Delhi State Legal Service Authority (DSLSA) to file a status report specifying the reasons why they have not been released.

A bench comprising Chief Justice G. Rohini and Justice Jayant Nath also asked the Delhi government to submit a report regarding the problems faced by these women undertrials.

“Why are the women undertrial prisoners not being released despite earlier directions What are the steps taken for their release You (DSLSA) file a status report on how many of them are still languishing in jail and how many of them have been released. What is their present status and why have they not been released, along with reasons,” the bench said.

The bench also asked the Delhi government to file a report as to when the “Undertrial Review Committee”, which comprises the district and sessions judge, deputy commissioner of the police and district magistrate/deputy commissioner as members, had last met and what were the decisions taken.

Senior standing counsel Rahul Mehra, appearing for the Delhi government, said that 1,072 undertrial prisoners at Tihar Jail, who have been undergoing sentences for petty offences, had been identified, but the trial courts were not granting them bail for various reasons.

The bench asked both the Delhi government and DSLSA to file their status reports by the next hearing and said it will pass a detailed order in this regard. Mr Mehra said that out of the 105 women undertrial prisoners, so far only 51 have been released and out of 47 inmates who are entitled for the benefit under provisions of law, only 21 have been released by the courts so far.

The court was hearing a matter on the plight of women inmates in the jail, an issue brought to its attention by a Supreme Court judge.