Unable to Provide VC Studios in All Jails, Courts: Government to HC

KOCHI:The Home Department has submitted before the Kerala High Court that though the total number of video conferencing (VC) studios required in jails and courts in the State is 238, the current proposal is to establish only 160-170 studios due to fund restrictions.

 Home Department deputy secretary J Unnikrishnan filed an affidavit in this regard on a suo motu proceeding initiated by the court regarding implementation of CCTV surveillance system in prisons and also on providing  infrastructure facilities for arranging video conferencing in prisons in the State.  According to the Home Department, implementation of video conferencing facility will reduce the manpower required for the procedures by an average of 200 persons per day. Also, the government can save huge amounts on account of prisoners’ ‘bata’, bus fare and travelling allowance.

“The chances of convicts escaping, trafficking of prohibited articles and media intervention in cases involving high profile prisoners can also be avoided,” the affidavit said. “Court proceedings will become easer and less time-consuming, and crowding of court rooms could be avoided. The inconvenience faced by the public due to the presence of handcuffed prisoners and uniformed policemen as co-travellers in buses and trains could also be avoided,” it stated.

The Home Department has already installed CCTV systems in six jails, including three central prisons and three district jails. A total of Rs 4.39 crore has been allotted for the installation of CCTV systems in all jails in the Ernakulam and Thrissur districts, except the women’s prison at Borstal School, Thrikkakara, and the Viyyur prison.

 “Fund has also been allotted for installing CCTV systems in jails in Thiruvananthapuram and Kannur districts, except the Central Prison,” the Home Department submitted.

A Step to save time, money

• the total number of video conferencing (VC) studios required in jails and courts in the State is 238,
•  the current proposal is to establish only 160-170 studios due to fund restrictions.
•  According to the Home Department, implementation of video conferencing facility will reduce the manpower required for the procedures by an average of 200 persons per day.
•  with this, the government can save huge amounts on account of prisoners’ ‘bata’, bus fare and travelling allowance.