NEW DELHI: The number of undertrials in prisons rose sharply in 2020 even as the number of convicts fell, resulting in undertrials accounting for over three-fourths of all those in jail, the highest proportion in at least a decade.
The year also showed a significant decline of 2.6 lakh in the number of undertrials released on bail compared to 2019. This could be due to lower access to the judiciary in 2020, as indicated by an overall decrease in the number of visits to courts from jails in many states. However, the pattern varies from state to state as many organised video conferencing facilities for hearings in jails and reduced the number of convicts in the inmate population, resulting in the proportion of undertrials increasing.
These facts emerge from data given by NCRB and analysed by India Justice Report.
The year also showed a significant decline of 2.6 lakh in the number of undertrials released on bail compared to 2019. This could be due to lower access to the judiciary in 2020, as indicated by an overall decrease in the number of visits to courts from jails in many states. However, the pattern varies from state to state as many organised video conferencing facilities for hearings in jails and reduced the number of convicts in the inmate population, resulting in the proportion of undertrials increasing.
These facts emerge from data given by NCRB and analysed by India Justice Report.
