Project to video link courts and jails in limbo

KOCHI: The project to link court rooms and prisons using video conferencing - introduced in 2010 - is yet to be implemented in the district due to non-cooperation of judicial employees. According to prison department, judicial employees are opposing this facility as they are reluctant to take up increased responsibilities.
This new facility will mean that judicial employees will have to set up all links between courts and prisons while mastering the technical side of the new system.This would add to their work load, said a prison official on condition of anonymity.
The facility that would speed up court procedures was launched in Thiruvananthapuram, Kottayam, Ernakulam and Thrissur as part of prison modernization project. The plan was to connect all prisons in the state with courts and support a system to conduct trials without the physical appearance of under-trial prisoners in court.
“We have completed the installation of studio rooms in five prisons and court rooms in the district, but we are yet to get a positive response from judicial employees,” a prison official said. “The facility, if implemented effectively, will reduce security risks while transporting accused to the court room. Besides, such a move frees the police personnel from carrying out escort duties and they can be used to maintain law and order or pursue criminal investigations,” he said.
Meanwhile, judicial employees associations said that the delay in implementing the project is due to some technical issues that the prison department is yet to resolve. “If this system is introduced, we will be happy as it saves time and reduces our workload,” said A Ijas of Kerala Judicial Officers’ Association.
The prison department is planning to introduce the facility in all districts by the end of this year. Additional director general of police (prisons) Alexander Jacob said the department had received Rs 14 crore from the central government to implement this facility.