Andhra plans video-conferencing between courts, prisons

Andhra plans video-conferencing between courts, prisons
PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

OCTOBER 24: In a major initiative to use information technology in prison reforms, the Andhra Pradesh government has proposed an amendment to the criminal procedure code (CrPC) to provide for video-linkages between prisons and courts to facilitate production of undertrials electronically for remand extensions.

The state government has formulated an act, amending section 167 of the CrPC to obviate the need for escorting undertrial prisoneers to courts for remand extensions, and sent it for the Centre's approval, the Home Minister T Devender Goud told reporters here today.

"We hope for early clearance from the Centre. This is the first such experiment in the country to simplify procedures pertaining to remand prisoners," Goud said.

The electronic video-linkage will enable interaction between prisoner and the concerned magistrate through an Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN). The undertrial can stand before the camera, installed in the prison complex, and answer questions from a magistrate and get his remand extended without having to personally go to court.

This will also obviate the need to deploy police personnel to escort prisoners to courts every time.

The experiment was successfully tested here on October 17 when High Court Chief Justice M S Liberhan conducted video-conferencing with some undertrials lodged in Chanchalguda jail, through an electronic linkage between Criminal Courts complex at Nampally and the prison premisis.