Periods of incarceration be put in public domain to make inmates aware of rights on release: SC

A bench headed by Chief Justice N V Ramana has already sought a response from the Delhi government on creating a portal for providing details about the period of incarceration undergone by inmates in prisons. 

The bench, also comprising Justice Surya Kant, was not impressed with the argument of the Delhi government that there were concerns of infringement of right to privacy of inmates if the details, such as period of incarceration, are put in public domain. 

“What are the privacy issues? We do not understand. No, no. This must be available to common public also...suppose a person is in jail for last 20 years. Don’t you think that you must apprise that person about the right to seek release by taking recourse of parole, furlough...,” the bench told Additional Solicitor General Jayant Sud who was appearing for the Delhi government. 

During the hearing, the law officer said that in Delhi prisons, ‘e-kiosk’ have been set up where the inmates themselves can go and check details like the period of incarceration. 

"Let me call a meeting of concerned authorities and examine this issue for evolving a mechanism to help entitled convicts in seeking remission," the CJI said on Wednesday. 

The bench, which dismissed the appeal of one Mukesh Kumar filed against an order of July 16, 2007 of the Delhi High Court by which he was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment in a murder case, however, kept the case pending to deal with the larger issue of providing information on period of incarceration in public domain. 

It has now posted the matter after four weeks. 

Earlier, the top court had asked the city government to apprise it of the time frame within which it would create a portal for providing details about the period of incarceration undergone by inmates in prisons. 

Prior to this, it had asked the Delhi government to inform it about the latest policy on pre-mature release of the convicts.