Chandigarh: 2 panels formed to provide fiscal relief to poor prisoners
Chandigarh, April 2
The UT Administrator has constituted two committees for implementation of a scheme to provide relief to poor prisoners.
The scheme has been finalised by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) for poor prisoners unable to pay the fine imposed on them or secure bail due to financial constraints.
For implementation of the scheme, the Administration has constituted the Empowered Committee to be headed by the District Collector/District Magistrate. The secretary, District Legal Services Authority, an SP and the Chief Judicial Magistrate will be its members. Superintendent/Deputy Superintendent, Model Jail, will be the convener of the committee that will assess the requirement of financial support in each case for securing bail or for payment of fine, etc.
The committee may appoint a nodal officer and take assistance of any civil society representative, social worker or district probation officer in processing cases of needy prisoners.
The other panel, Oversight Committee, will be headed by the Secretary (Home/Jail), while Legal Remembrancer-cum-Director of Prosecution, and secretary, State Legal Services Authority, and Registrar-General, Punjab and Haryana High Court, will be its members. The Inspector General of Prisons, UT, will be the member convener of the committee.
The committees will adhere to the guidelines and standard operating procedure for implementation of the scheme for support to poor prisoners, as circulated by the MHA.
