Gehlot hails SC order regarding undertrial prisoners

Former chief minister of Rajasthan Ashok Gehlot today welcomed the Supreme Court order to release the undertrial prisoners who have served half of the maximum sentence prescribed for the offences they are charged with.
Gehlot in a statement here said that there should be an arrangement in the judiciary that no undertrial has to be in jail unnecessarily.
He said that several prisoners have to remain in jail for period more than the maximum and some suspected criminals also have to be put behind bars due to delay in court judgements.
The former CM said the order of the the apex court will reduce the number of undertrial inmates in jails.

Yesterday, the Supreme Court has ordered release of all undertrial prisoners who have spent half of the maximum sentence prescribed for the offences they are charged with, bringing much needed relief to poor people who are languishing in jails as they are not able to pay sureties and bail bond to get out of jail.
Expressing concern that more than 60 per cent prisoners are undertrials, the apex court assigned the task to lower judicial officers to visit each jail under their jurisdiction from October 1 to find out and release such prisoners immediately. It also set a period of two months time to finish the work.