Orissa HC orders camp courts in jails to hear undertrial prisoners' bail pleas

The Orissa High Court Saturday asked all sessions judges of the state to hold camp courts in jails and decide pending bail applications of undertrial prisoners (UTPs) to reduce the pressure on overcrowded prisons.

Jails across the state are bursting at the seams as functioning of courts has been paralysed due to strike by lawyers for nearly two months.

The high court instructed sessions judges to communicate its decision to all criminal courts under their jurisdiction to hold camp courts within the jail premises during working hours on each working day.


The presiding officers accompanied by the court staff and jail para-legal volunteers shall hold camp courts to enlarge the UTPs on bail, the order issued by the High Court registry said.

In case of arrest and first production, the same may be made in the camp courts inside the jail, it said.

The jail authorities were also instructed to ensure that during the time of hearings, none apart from the court staff and court sub-inspector are present in camp courts.

Lawyers across Odisha are on strike since August 29 paralysing judicial activities in all the courts including the high court and tribunals.

They are demanding arrest of a constable and a havildar for allegedly assaulting a Cuttack-based lawyer, whose car was involved in a series of road accident at three places on August 28 in Cuttack.