Govt. yet to decide on prison video-conferencing

By K. T. Sangameswaran

CHENNAI, AUG. 11. It has been under consideration for a year but the State Government is yet to announce its decision on a Prison Department proposal for introducing a video-conferencing system for trial of prisoners in jail.

As the introduction of the facility required an amendment to the law, the High Court gave its opinion and the matter is now pending with the Government, official sources told The Hindu.

It was in April last year that a demonstration to examine the technical feasibility of implementing the video- conferencing system was conducted in the presence of the then Law Minister, Home Secretary and Prison Department authorities. It was officially explained then that the facility was welcome and it could initially be used for extending the remand of prisoners. For the adoption of the arrangement, an amendment to the Cr.P.C. was required.

If the system is introduced, it will avoid unnecessary movements of prisoners, particularly hardcore ones, and delays in producing prisoners before courts, and police personnel deployed for escort duty could be used for better purposes. Another major advantage is that overcrowding in courts could be avoided. The video- conferencing system has been introduced in Andhra Pradesh and is functioning successfully, the sources explain.

As the law had to be amended, the Prison Department authorities sent a proposal to the Government seeking an amendment to Section 167 (procedure when investigation cannot be completed in 24 hours) (2) (ii) Cr.P.C. which lays down that ``no magistrate shall authorise detention in any custody under this Section unless the accused is produced before him''. It was pointed out that the amendment could be that the accused ``is produced before him either in person or through the electronic media''.

The Government forwarded the proposal to the High Court, which said an amendment to Cr.P.C. was necessary and that it could be achieved through a State amendment to the code and forwarded to the President for assent. The State Government had to take a decision, judicial sources said.

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