The Punjab & Haryana High Court has sought suggestions from both the states and Chandigarh administration on the issue of creating a digital application at the District level for registering parole, and furlough of jail inmates and to examine the same on their level.
Brief Facts:
The present petition was filed by an organization 'Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee' challenging the parole recently granted to Gurmeet Ram Rahim.
Observations of the Court:
The court first referred to the detailed reply filed by the Superintendent Jail as per which Ram Rahim was released for 40 days in January on regular parole and during that period, he used to reside in Shah Satnam Ji Ashram situated in the jurisdiction area of Police Station Binoli and he surrendered on 03.03.2023 in time and there was no effect on the law and order situation of the District during his 40 days parole period.
The court further took suo-moto cognizance of the issue as to whether the State should make a digital app at every district level where applications made for grant of furlough/parole by all the inmates can be registered and the process of grant of furlough/parole should also be uploaded on that application and stated that another aspect, which can be considered that the digital app can also the details of all the ‘proclaimed offenders’ in a particular district and stated that apart from this the digital app can also have details of the FIR as well as the challan presented so that the copies of the challan can be taken to pursue the remedies in Courts. The court observed that the major parts of the inmates in the jail are from the weaker sections of society and this app could help them to pursue their legal matters for grant of parole, bail etc.
The decision of the Court:
The court issued a notice to the State of Haryana, Punjab and UT Chandigarh directing them to examine the issue and give their suggestions for creating a digital app for the mentioned purposes at the District level.
Coram: Hon’ble Mrs. Chief Justice Ritu Bahri and Hon’ble Mrs. Justice Nidhi Gupta
Case No.: CWP-PIL-11-2023
Advocate for the Applicant: Mr. Puran Singh Hundal, Mr. Gursahib Singh Hundal, Mr. Harmanpreet Singh and Mr. Ankush Chauhan
Advocate for the Respondent: Mr. Pawan Girdhar and Mr. Abhay Pal Singh Gill
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