Principal District & Session Judge Shopian, Mohammad Ali Khan, today chaired the district level under trial review committee meeting regarding ways and means to further improve the living conditions of Under Trial Prisoners (UTPs) of the district.District Magistrate Shopian Manzoor Ahmad Qadri, SSP Shopian, Secretary District Legal Services Authority Shopian and other concerned attended the meeting.The meeting found that there is no case pending in any court of District Shopian regarding the UTPs of unsound mind or of those who require specialized medical treatment, still provisions of law encompassing the said area were revisited and keenly deliberated upon, so that any such future case can be dealt with utmost expertise.
Issue of non availability of District Jail in Shopian was also taken up and discussed in the meeting. It was also emphasized that coordinated efforts should be undertaken by concerned agencies to ensure the presence of UTPs in courts on their due dates of hearings so that their cases could be expeditiously disposed off under law.It was further stressed that Jail Manual, through concerned agencies should be strictly implemented with regard to UTPs and their living conditions should be monitored systematically on periodicals basis.The meeting resolved that no stone should be left unturned to implement the relevant provisions of Probation of Offenders Act particularly for first time offenders, thereby increasing chance of their rehabilitation in the society. It was said that cases pending for over 10 years in relation to UTPs should be disposed off on mission mode basis and that the priority should be given to the cases pending for more than 3 years.