Equipping Prisons with Technological Capabilities

The COVID-19 pandemic created a dire situation in Indian prisons due to overcrowding, poor health facilities, and challenges in implementing social distancing. As of September 9, 2020, there were 8,664 COVID-19 cases and 16 deaths in prisons across the country. The Supreme Court ordered the release of undertrials and inmates with non heinous crimes on parole or bail, with the use of video conferencing (VC) for legal proceedings. However, limited technological resources and court constraints hindered this process.

The blog proposes VC facilities in prisons to expedite bail and parole hearings and for fast-track courts to handle applications promptly. Additionally, prisoners should be allowed to make video calls to their families, reducing isolation. Telemedicine should be introduced for medical care, utilising existing VC infrastructure.