Maiden Meet Of Under Trial Review Committee in Shopian, Ganderbal, Recommend Release of Eligible Prisoners

Shopian/ Ganderbal, Jan 21: The District Legal Services Authority Shopian under the aegis of J&K Legal Services Authority conducted 1st Under Trial Review Committee (UTRC) meeting in District Court Shopian today at Shopian.

The meeting was held in compliance with the directions of Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai, Judge, Supreme Court of India (Executive Chairman, NALSA) and as per the UTRC meeting schedule issued by National Legal Services Authority for the year 2025.

The meeting aimed to expedite the identification and review of prisoners who are eligible to be considered for release, as well as to accelerate the regular functioning of UTRC and review all eligible under-trial prisoners (UTPs)/prisoners.

The meeting was chaired by Pr. District & Sessions Judge (Chairman DLSA), Shopian, Mehmood Ahmad Chowdhary and attended by Deputy Commissioner Shopian, Mohammad Shahid Saleem Dar with other members of the Under Trial Review Committee (UTRC).

In the meeting, the committee reviewed cases of eligible UTPs/Prisoners shortlisted by the Secretary, DLSA Shopian for consideration and the committee recommended 03 under trial Prisoners for release, besides it also recommended constitution of Medical Board for 02 under trial prisoners.

Additional SP Shopian, Shoukat Rafiq; Secretary District Legal Services Authority Shopian, Mudasar Farooq; Superintendent Jails (Correctional Home), Pulwama, Shabir Ahmad also attended the meeting.

Meanwhile, Principal District & Sessions Judge (PD&SJ) Ganderbal, Abdul Nasir, today chaired the 1st meeting of the UnderTrial Review Committee (UTRC), 2025, at District Court Complex Ganderbal.

The meeting attended by all members of UTRC Ganderbal including Public prosecutes and Legal Aid Defense Counsels, discussed to expedite the identification and review of prisoners who are eligible to be considered for release, as well as to accelerate the regular functioning of UTRC.

During the meeting, three cases of prisoners were taken up for review, and the committee examined the eligibility of Under Trial Prisoners (UTPs) for release.

The committee reviewed the cases and made recommendations for the release of eligible three prisoners.

The UTRC meeting is a regular review mechanism to ensure that prisoners who are eligible for release are considered for release in a time bound manner and to ensure that UTPs covered under 15 categories get benefit without delay, in terms of directions passed by supreme court of India, in WP(C) No 406./2013, titled Re-Inhuman conditions in 1382 prisoners and NALSA’s SOP for UTRC.

The committee’s efforts aim to reduce the number of undertrial prisoners and ensure justice is done efficiently.