HC seeks report on extending e-mulakat facility to all prisoners with kin outside city
New Delhi: The Delhi High Court has called on the Delhi government to submit a status report on extending the facility of e-mulakat (virtual meetings) to prisoners whose relatives reside outside Delhi.
The order came during a hearing on a plea by a prisoner, who, relying on some other case, sought the benefit of 5 minutes of telecalling every day.
The petitioner, who submitted a representation to jail authorities on May 29, highlighted his circumstances, stating that his only relatives, his wife and mother, were ailing and did not reside in Delhi.
The petitioner’s plea aims at easing the burden on prisoners whose family members must travel to the capital for in-person meetings.
“Issue a writ of mandamus directing the Respondent No.1 in consultation with the Respondent Director General of Prisons to allow the petitioner herein to have two E-mulakat every week with his family or friends such that he takes care of his mother who is severely unwell and bed-ridden and that he maintains his social ties as well,” the petitioner’s plea stated.
The plea emphasises the importance of maintaining social ties and taking care of a severely unwell family member.
The court, chaired by Justice Subramonium Prasad, heard the matter on November 20, where the counsel for the state of Delhi assured that the petitioner’s representation would be decided within three weeks. Justice Prasad then directed the filing of a status report by November 29, questioning why the benefit of e-mulakat should not be extended to all similarly situated prisoners. “The Respondents are also directed to file a Status Report as to why the facility of e-mulakat should not be extended to all the similarly situated prisoners whose relatives do not stay in Delhi and for the purpose of meeting they have to come to Delhi from their native places,” the court order stated.
As the legal proceedings unfold, the case underscores the pressing need to address the challenges faced by prisoners with out-of-Delhi relatives, shedding light on the broader implications of virtual connectivity within the penal system.
