GUWAHATI, June 26 � Union Law Minister Veerappa Moily today urged the North Eastern States to effectively use the funds allocated by the 13th Financial Commission to strengthen timely and effective functioning of the Judiciary.
The Commission had allocated Rs 5,000 crore, of which Assam�s share is estimated around Rs 123 crore.
The Minister further informed that there was a need for a concerted effort to reduce the burden of under-trial prisoners (UTPs) across the country while favouring formation of task forces by the Chief Justices of the respective High Courts.
At a press conference that followed the first-ever regional meeting of the North Eastern States and the State of Sikkim for Discussion on Perspective/action Plan for Effective Utilization of Grants Given by the 13th Financial Commission at the Administrative Staff College, Khanapara, the Union Minister, said that the issue of UTPs needed to be addressed in a better way.
Today�s meeting which was also attended by the Union Minister, proposed that the Legal Services Authorities (LSA) need to gear up to assist by preparing and distributing booklets informing the prisoners at the time of entry into the jail about the rights of a prisoner.
At present there are about 300,000 UTPs, who comprise 70 per cent of the jail population.
Of these UTPs, around 30 per cent are languishing in the jail for several years essentially because of the delay in the justice delivery system.
�130651 UTPs were released since January this year when the National Mission for Delivery of Justice and Legal Forum � Under Trial was launched. It is a kind of silent revolution showing good results for us,� the Minister said.
In Assam under the jurisdiction of the Gauhati High Court, the number of the UTPs stands at 3,622 as of April 30 this year.
�The task force may be headed by the ex-chairman of the LSA or by any senior judge selected by the respective Chief Justice. The force may be assisted by lawyers,� he said.
Moily also assured that problem of inadequate number of judges would also be solved very soon to strengthen the Judiciary.
