Tihar jail overcrowded : Govt

New Delhi, Dec 5 (UNI) The Government today admitted in the Lok Sabha that there was overcrowding in high-security Tihar prison, and promised several steps to overcome the problem.

In a written reply, Minister of State for Home S Reghupathy said there were 11,978 inmates in the prison as on November 29. But its actual capacity is only 5,200.

Of the 11,978 inmates, 11,497 were males and 481 females.

He said several steps being taken to ease the overcrowding includes: construction of new jails; holding Special Courts to try the cases involving petty offences; compiling of list of undertrial prisoners who were granted bail but could not be released and sending such lists to District and Sessions Judge for considering their cases on relaxed surety conditions.

There was also a proposal to provide legal aid by the Legal Aid Advocates and nominated counsels deputed by the Delhi Legal Services Authority to advise the prisoners on moving appropriate applications before the High Court for their early release.

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