Pr. Distt & Sessions Judge chairs Under Trial Review Committee-2026 meeting

STATE TIMES NEWS

JAMMU: Chairman District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) Jammu (Principal District and Sessions Judge) R. N. Wattal on Thursday chaired the first Undertrial Review Committee-2026 meeting in his office chamber to evaluate cases of under-trial prisoners and to ensure compliance with legal safeguards and timely justice.

The meeting was attended by Additional Deputy Commissioner (Adm), Jammu Ansuya Jamwal; Senior Superintendent of Police, Jammu, Joginder Singh; Secretary DLSA Jammu, Maleeka Sharma; Superintendent of Central Jail Kot Bhalwal Jammu, Chhabil Singh; Assistant Superintendent of District Jail Amphalla Jammu, Tarsem Lal and Chief Legal Aid Defense Counsel Jammu, Anil Sharma.
During the meeting, the Committee reviewed cases based on guidelines from the Supreme Court and NALSA SOPs, focusing on prisoners with no representation or those who have spent substantial time behind bars.
The Committee recommended the release of eligible prisoners, by filing bail applications before the appropriate Courts and ensuring that the benefits of legal provisions reach the intended beneficiaries, especially prisoners. The meeting also discussed action taken, such as conducting regular meetings to track progress, maintaining a consolidated datasheet to monitor prisoners’ cases and preparing quarterly reports.
The meeting concluded with appreciation expressed by Chairman District Legal Services Authority (Pr. Distt. & Sessions Judge) Jammu to all the stakeholders for their proactive participation in addressing the concerns related to under trial prisoners.