Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna on Tuesday highlighted the need for further reforms in criminal law..He pointed out the alarming overcrowding in Indian prisons, noting that the number of undertrial prisoners far exceeds the national capacity.."Criminal courts require reform, we have decriminalised a lot of laws but a lot of work remains to be done. Laws require a change. This becomes important when we look at number of undertrial prisoners. National capacity of undertrial prisoners is 4 lakh 36 thousand but our prisoners are 5 lakh 19 thousand undertrials which is a much more," he said..The CJI was addressing a gathering at the Supreme Court to celebrate International Human Rights Day.The event featured the launch of a special campaign by the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA), focusing on the release of prisoners over the age of 70 and those suffering from terminal illnesses..Justice Surya Kant explained that terminally ill individuals, like other patients, deserve access to palliative care and family support, and this principle should extend to prisoners."Punishment has to be proportionate to crime and when it becomes inhuman then it becomes retributive and thus policy must kick in to secure their release," he said..Justice BR Gavai addressed the lack of awareness among those arrested, stressing that persons arrested are unaware of their rights or how to navigate the legal process during stages such as pre-arrest, arrest and remand. .Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal, reflected on the broader theme of human rights and encouraged introspection on ways to strengthen human rights and its values.
