NEW DELHI, 30 Jul: The National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) has launched a campaign to identify undertrial prisoners who are eligible for release and recommend their cases to review committees, Law Minister Kiren Rijiju said on Saturday.
Addressing the inaugural session of the first all-India district legal services authorities meet here, he said that the campaign was launched on 16 July, under which district legal services authorities have been mandated to hold weekly meetings of undertrial review committees (UTRC) to discuss progress, review additional cases and to discuss further action, including filing of bails in high courts and the Supreme Court, if required.
Rijiju said that these meetings are scheduled every week till 13 August and aim for release of maximum number of undertrial prisoners on or before 15 August.
The campaign is part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Justice of India NV Ramana and senior Supreme Court judges were present at the event.
In his address, the prime minister said that the district judges, as chairpersons of UTRCs, can expedite the release of undertrial prisoners.
Rijiju also referred to the ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ campaign and requested the judiciary to participate in it.
As part of the campaign, citizens have been encouraged to hoist the national flag in their homes during the Independency Day week from 13 to 15 August. (PTI)