23 August,2024 02:37 PM IST | New Delhi | PTI
Supreme Court/ File pic
On Friday, the Centre told the Supreme Court that the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita-2023's section 479, which relates to the "maximum period for which undertrial prisoner can be detained", would apply retrospectively to undertrials across the country.
Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, appearing for the Centre, told a bench of justices Hima Kohli and Sandeep Mehta that section 479 of the BNSS, which replaces section 436A of the Code of Criminal Procedure, will apply to all undertrials irrespective of the fact that the crime is registered before July 1, 2024.
The BNSS, the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam came into effect on July 1, replacing the British-era Code of Criminal Procedure, Indian Penal Code, and Indian Evidence Act, respectively.
The top court took note of the submission and directed jail superintendents across the country where undertrials are detained to process their applications through the courts concerned upon the completion of one-third of the period mentioned in the sub-section of the provision.
ALSO READ
Sunny Deol captions son Karan's adorable birthday video with "Love you, beta!"
Govt crackdown ends PTI protest in Islamabad for Imran Khan’s release
Worst November snowstorm in over 50 years lashes Seoul
Ex-Bangladesh PM Khaleda Zia acquitted in graft case
Madhur Bhandarkar reveals 'Wives of Bollywood' is in scripting at IFFI Goa 2024
Steps shall be taken as expeditiously as possible, preferably within three months, the apex court said.
Senior advocate Gaurav Agrawal, who is amicus curiae in the case, had earlier told the bench that section 479 relating to the "maximum period for which undertrial prisoner can be detained" needs to be implemented at the earliest, and it will help in addressing overcrowding in prisons.
The top court has been actively monitoring the issue of prison overcrowding since October 2021, when it took suo motu cognisance of the problem.
This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
