Undertrials told to avail free legal services

Kurnool: The district's first additional magistrate and district services authority president and secretary A Srinivasa Kumar and Ch VS Srinivasa Rao visited the district prison here on Saturday.

The magistrates after visiting the prison spoke to the women prisoners and enquired about the facilities, diet and tidiness in the barracks. They ordered the jail authorities to take necessary steps if any lapses are detected in creating facilities.

The magistrates educated the undertrial prisoners that they can avail free legal services and also have the right to have legal representation. The prisoners were suggested to file bail petitions after approaching the advocate who deals with legal assistance.

The magistrateswhile interacting with the prisoners enquired about extending of medical assistance, children education, livelihood of family members and pensions to elderly people. If they need any assistance then the district legal services authority, district administration and voluntary organisation will do the needful after coordinating with the welfare, education and medical and health departments.

The magistrates said that if any prisoner is kept in detention despite having eligibility for release from jail, the district legal services authority will take appropriate action for their release by ordering the concerned courts. The district legal services authority will also take into consideration the occupancy capacity in jails. If found any of the jails is overcrowded the authority will initiate necessary action to lessen the crowd.

The magistrates further said that the jail authorities are also ordered to take necessary steps to see that the jails are not overcrowded.

K Ghane Naik, Superintendent of Kurnool district prison, and others accompanied the district first additional magistrate and district legal services authority president and secretary, A Srinivas Kumar and Ch VS Srinivasa Rao.