Pre-trial Detention and Access to Justice in Orissa - Commonwealth ...

Pre-trial Detention and Access to Justice in Orissa
The Board of Visitors comprising three members, both non-official and official visitors are expected
to meet quarterly. Since most of the visitors are not appointed, these quarterly meetings are not
held. The District Magistrate, who is also the Chairperson of the Board of Visitors, is responsible
for scheduling the roster of weekly visits by the visitors (both official and non-official) to give each
visitor their due turn. 115
When compared to the working of the District Committee, it can be said that the Board of Visitors
are lagging far behind. The practice of holding District Committee Meetings quarterly is more
frequently undertaken, and the district judge who is the Chairperson of the District Review
Committee visits the prisons on a monthly basis (see Chapter 7: Systemic Provisions for more
details about the District Review Committee). We were told that the district judge visited prisons
in Angul, Berhampur and Bhubaneswar regularly. However, the visits by the District Committee
were irregular, ranging from monthly to once a year.
COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION
Another channel to ensure a transparent and accountable prison system is to open these prisons
by permitting community involvement in them. This is not an alternative to PVS, but it can be a
complementary system. Though the security of a prison cannot be compromised, some civil society
groups could be involved in the various aspects of a detainee’s life. Allowing non-profit organisations
to work in prisons will also help prisoners to reintegrate into society on their release. In the Seventh
All India Meet of the State Legal Services Authorities, it was resolved that the state authorities
should take concerted steps to identify and accredit certain NGOs in their respective states. The
state authorities may consider the past activities/performances of NGOs in the legal aid field
before accrediting them. 116
Bhubaneswar Special Jail, being located in the state capital is the only prison which has the presence
of a considerable number of community-based organisations. While Balasore District Jail has
four NGOs, 117 all engaged at the moral and spiritual level with the prisoners, Bhubaneswar has a
broader range of civil society participation. The ten NGOs 118 working in Bhubaneswar Special
Jail look into the physical, psychological and spiritual well-being of the prisoners alongside providing
educational and vocational facilities. Angul Juvenile Jail also has moral and spiritual interest
organisations. 119 Despite there being several organisations working in prisons, there is a dearth of
diversity in the areas that the community-based organisations are involved. The Prison Department
needs to accredit NGOs working in various fields including, legal aid, skills training, education,
counselling, etc.
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