Ladakh, Andaman do not have Directorate of Prosecution, share problem with Home ministry

Earlier this month, Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla had a meeting with Chief Secretaries, Advisors to Administrators, and all the police chiefs of UTs to review their preparedness where they were asked that they should immediately flag issues that they face in the process of implementation of the laws to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), for a timely resolution.

“Bhalla is learnt to have asked them that they should conduct a comprehensive review of their existing infrastructure as well as the requirements for roll-out of the new laws. They have been also asked to conduct necessary consultations with the stakeholders concerned, including the high courts concerned, to make realistic assessments,” said a source, adding that PM Modi has desired that UTs must implement the laws immediately from the date of notification.

During discussion in the meeting, Delhi Police Commissioner Sanjay Arora is learnt to have informed that currently there is no shortage of forensic assistants, who assist in evidence collection. But the term forensic experts has been mentioned in the new legislations, so, criteria has to decide who qualifies as a forensic expert.

“It will have to be devised and training will have to be conducted to fulfil the mandate of the acts… There is a need for clarity on the technological infrastructure, particularly pertaining to forensics and videography at the crime scene, will have to be designed by the UTs locally, or will it be a common pan-India design,” the source said.

In the meeting, it was informed that Andaman and Nicobar Islands does not have a Directorate of Prosecution at present, which will have to be established. “Ladakh also does not have a Directorate of Prosecution, but it was proposed that officers on deputation may be posted in Ladakh for the time being,” said a source.

“Ladakh also does not have any forensic laboratory and they are also facing bottlenecks in entering into an MoU with NFSU Gujarat. The MHA has assured them that they will intervene and address the bottlenecks being faced in the MoU between Ladakh and NFSU. The MHA has also asked to send some officers from Ladakh to Chandigarh for training,” the source said.

In the meeting, Bhalla also discussed the upgrade of the Inter-operable Criminal Justice System (ICJS) and their Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS). “While video-conferencing facilities in Delhi have been introduced in prisons, its acceptability by Courts is very low. The UT will make efforts to increase uptake,” a source said.