Uttarakhand High Court Orders Review of Inmate Appeal Records

Court Directs Submission of Inmate Appeal Records

The Uttarakhand High Court has mandated that records of inmates serving sentences without having filed appeals be presented before the court.

A bench comprising Chief Justice G. Narendranath and Justice Subhash Upadhyay discovered during a hearing that one appellant had been incarcerated for 22 years without ever submitting an appeal to the High Court.

Taking suo motu cognizance of the matter, the High Court instructed the State Legal Services Authority to inspect and report on the number of inmates who have yet to file appeals in the High Court. This initiative aims to ensure that these inmates receive legal representation and assistance.

A lawyer informed the court that it is the responsibility of the Legal Services Authority, the Inspector General of Prisons, and prison superintendents to provide necessary legal services to incarcerated individuals, particularly for those who have not yet filed their appeals.

In another case, an appeal was filed with a delay of 1,299 days. Upon reviewing this delay, the court inquired about the reasons behind such tardiness. It was revealed that the format used by prison staff and lawyers to request information about inmates' appeal statuses did not include provisions to indicate whether an appeal had not been filed, nor did it address reasons such as the need for a private lawyer or the inmate's desire not to appeal.

In response, the State Legal Services Authority has now issued a revised format to all relevant parties. Following this, prison officials will provide updates on each inmate's appeal status, enabling the Legal Services Authority to offer legal assistance or help file appeals as necessary.