SHIVAMOGGA: Thousands of undertrial prisoners in Karnataka continue to remain behind bars for extended periods, with fresh data tabled in Parliament highlighting the scale of delays in the justice system.
Replying to an unstarred question from MP and Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for the Ministry of Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal said that as of December 31, 2023, Karnataka had 1,834 undertrials lodged in jails for one to two years, 1,674 for two to five years, and 226 prisoners who have spent more than five years awaiting trial. Across India, 54,655 undertrials have been in jail for one to two years, 54,607 for two to five years, and 10,392 for more than five years.
The figures, compiled by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), point to a broader national trend. Across India, 54,655 undertrials have been in jail for one to two years, 54,607 for two to five years and 10,392 for more than five years. Uttar Pradesh reported the highest numbers, followed by Maharashtra and West Bengal, indicating persistent pendency in courts and delays in securing bail.
The Centre clarified that “prisons and prisoners” fall under the state list, making state governments primarily responsible for prison administration. However, it said the Union government has introduced measures to ease overcrowding and prolonged detention.
One such initiative is the “Support to Poor Prisoners” scheme, which provides financial assistance of up to Rs 1 lakh for bail. The scheme has been allocated Rs 20 crore annually between 2023-24 and 2025-26.
In addition, Undertrial Review Committees, set up across districts under the National Legal Services Authority, have recommended the release of over 1.67 lakh prisoners in the last three years. Of these, more than 82,000 inmates were released following such recommendations.
The government also pointed to provisions under Section 479 of the BNSS, which mandates bail for undertrials who have served half of the maximum sentence for their alleged offence.
First-time offenders may be released after serving one-third of the maximum sentence. However, the Centre admitted that there is no centralised data on pendency or average disposal time of bail applications through the National Judicial Data Grid.