- In each Central Correctional Home.
- Analysis of reasons for delay.
- Feedback on the ground situation to High Court and other authorities.
- Training programmes for correctional staff.
West Bengal prisons are goverened by the West Bengal Correctional Services Act, 1992
Important Information
Ongoing Reforms
Women & Children
Video
Objectives
- Speedy trial
- Free & competent legal aid
- Legal literacy
- Timely premature release
Legal Aid Research & Resource Centres
The first ever Legal Aid Research & Resource Centre for facilitating prisoners’ access to social justice was inaugurated by the then Hon’ble Mr. Justice K.G.Balakrishnan the then Executive Chairman, National Legal Services Authority as now Chief Justice of India at Presidency Correctional Home on September 24, 2006
Legal Aid Clinics
The services of Government Counsels are provided w.e.f January 1, 2007 inside all the correctional homes of the State on fixed days by the State Legal Services Authority and District Legal Services Authorities.
Court at Correctional Home (Prison Court)
The first ever Court at Correctional Home in the State was inaugurated by Mr. Justice V.S.Sirpurkar, Hon’ble Chief Justice, High Court at Calcutta on November 9, 2006 at Presidency Correctional Home.
Convicts as Barefoot Lawyers
Training programmes are being organized for the convicts into paralegals and mediators so that they can bring the appropriate cases of their fellow inmates to the notice of visiting legal aid counsels at the legal aid clinic; this is expected to reduce the gap between the residents of correctional homes and officials as well as help in the management of cases in the shortest possible time by the legal aid counsels. A Workshop for the training of convicts to become barefoot lawyers was inaugurated by Hon’ble Mr. Justice P.K.Samanta, Judge, High Court at Calcutta in presence of Hon’ble Mr. Justice K.J.Sengupta, Judge, High Court at Calcutta.
Implementation of Section 436A CrPC
An amendment has been made to Criminal Procedure Code vide Section 436A in 2005. The new Section provides that Where a person has, during the period of investigation, inquiry or trial under this Code of an offence under any law (not being an offence for which the punishment of death has been specified as one of the punishments under that law)