Bhubaneswar: Jail Adalats are being planned for first time in Odisha in coordination with State Legal Service Authority (SLSA) and Prisons Administration.
Thanks to proactive initiative of DG Prisons, Santosh Upadhyay, such efforts are being taken up for the benefit of inmates.
While few states like Tamil Nadu, Jharkhand have practice of holding Jail Adalats inside Prisons on plea bargaining cases, petty offences which are compoundable as per CrPC.
This will help prisoners to get due court orders in petty cases , inside Jails.
This is likely to start in April 2021 and it is like Lok Adalat inside Prisons.
Around 381 prisoners are in jails due to want of bail conditions /surety though granted bails by courts.
All the details will be shared to SLSA for issuing advisory to District Legal Service Authority(DLSA) for appropriate revision orders by the Higher Courts.
In fact under ePrisons Project, State Prison Administration has issued one laptop to each jail to take care of eMulakat, video conferencing with Courts and other projects under ePrisons.
Under modernizing jails, Prison Administration has issued Organic Compost Machines, Vacuum Cleaners, Power Sprayers, eKiosks, Washing Machines in 20-21.
In the meantime, extra 870 capacity of wards sanctioned by the State Government in 2020-21 for various jails and 135 new staff quarters have been sanctioned.
Steps are being taken for introduction of eCustody certificates to be issued to courts, after training by NIC, said sources.