DEHRADUN: Prisoners in Uttarakhand will be fitted with a GPS tracking device before they are released on parole, the state prisons department (DIG Prisons) has said. The wearable device, a wristband, will enable real-time location tracking, preventing prisoners from evading authorities.
Speaking to this newspaper, DIG Prisons Dadhi Ram Maurya said, “The arrangement will be made under the new Prisons Act. The prison administration will be notified if a prisoner removes or tampers with his wristband or moves away from the designated place. Also, if the prisoners violate the rules, their subsequent leave can be suspended.”
During the COVID-19 pandemic, a large number of convicts and pretrial detainees have been granted parole from state prisons in accordance with state regulations. However, despite strict enforcement, over 450 inmates who were granted parole have yet to return.
“With the introduction of this new law, we can now address the problem of prisoners who are not released from parole,” Maurya said.
According to government sources, the recently passed Uttarakhand Prisons and Correctional Services Act, 2024 contains a provision for the use of electronic devices on prisoners. Section 29 of the Act provides for the use of GPS tracking devices on prisoners on parole, which will enable real-time monitoring.
“Under the new law, when a prisoner is released, he can be fitted with a GPS tracking device as an ankle bracelet, allowing authorities to track his movements,” the sources explained.
Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Prem Chand Agarwal said, “The central government has reviewed and amended the British-era Prisons Act, 1894. After consultations with prison authorities and reform experts, the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D) has drafted the Model Prison and Correctional Services Act, 2023.”
Following the passage of this bill, the existing Prison Act 1894, the Prisoners Act 1900 and the Transfer of Prisoners Act 1950 will automatically be repealed.
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