Families Of Undertrials, Convicts From Disadvantaged Backgrounds Must Be Given Counselling: Justice BR Gavai

Supreme Court judge Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai in his message to the Standard Operating Procedure on 'Prison Reforms' devised by the Gujarat State Legal Services Authority, emphasized that family members of undertrials/convicts belonging to poor strata must be provided with counselling and made aware about government schemes. 

Justice Gavai who addressed a gathering on October 19 at the Annual Conference for Judicial Officers in Gujarat on the theme of 'Institutional Perspective-Self Evaluation and Self Evolution', also released the SOP at the event. The SOP has been developed under the guidance of Gujarat High Court Chief Justice Sunita Agarwal–the patron in chief of GSLA as well as its executive chairman Justice Biren A Vaishnav. 

In his message to the SOP Justice Gavai has said, "Prison Reforms is an ideal Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) devised by the Gujarat State Legal Services Authority for improving the conditions of inmates languishing behind bars since long".

The judge further said that amongst all "vulnerable sections" of the society, prisoners remain in the "poorest condition" due to the stigma that they carry. Hence it is imperative that qualitative legal aid for proceeding with the criminal case/appeal is provided by the Legal Services Authority, the message adds. 

"Further, it should also be mandatorily ensured that the family members of the under-trial prisoners/convicts coming from poor strata are provided apt counseling and exposure to the Government Schemes so as to manage their lives smoothly. The same is ensured by the Prison Reforms designed by the Gujarat State Legal Services Authority," Justice Gavai said.

"Simultaneously, vocational guidance is being provided to the jail inmates; measures are being taken to improve the mental health of prisoners and prompt and effective assistance is being given to deserving convicts for remission," the judge added while complimenting the GSLA's initiative by making an institutionalized SOP for Prison Reforms. 

Click Here To Read/Download Prison Reforms SOP