- Rising prison occupancy in India, at 131.4% of capacity, necessitates innovative measures such as electronic tracking of parolees and furlough beneficiaries to decongest prisons.
- Model Prisons and Correctional Services Act, 2023 proposes granting prison leave conditioned on the use of electronic tracking devices.
- Non-compliance may lead to cancellation of leave.
- Pilot Programme Proposal suggested for low or moderate-risk undertrials to monitor movements and ensure compliance.
- Odisha pioneered the proposal for using tamper-proof electronic trackers on undertrials accused of non-heinous offences.
- Prevents offenders from contacting victims or returning to crime locations.
- Risk of infringing on prisoners’ Privacy Rights, as noted in a recent Supreme Court judgment.
- Absence of clear norms for the ethical use of such technology.
- Compact and discreet designs are needed to reduce reluctance among beneficiaries.
Dig Deeper: Read about Prison Reforms pushed by the central Government and Supreme Court.
