2 released as Lok Adalat sits inside Gurgaon’s Bhondsi Jail

GURGAON: Two undertrial prisoners were walked out of Bhondsi District Jail on Wednesday after a special Jail Lok Adalat settled their cases on the spot. The initiative, aimed at reducing prison overcrowding and cutting down judicial delays for long-serving undertrials, was organized by the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) under the directives of District and Sessions Judge-cum-Chairman Narendra Sura.

Nisha, the DLSA Secretary and Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM), who spearheaded a surprise inspection of the prison, revealed a major policy shift making legal representation highly accessible. “Under-trials can now secure a free state-appointed defense lawyer simply by submitting a basic, handwritten application through the jail's Legal Aid Clinic,” she said. Furthermore, the legal authority announced that the general public can now bypass bureaucratic hurdles to access free legal counsel from the comfort of their homes by dialing the national emergency legal aid helpline at 15100. During her evaluation of the jail infrastructure, CJM Nisha pulled up the prison administration, issuing strict directives to upgrade living conditions. The jail authorities have been ordered to immediately streamline family visitation rights, address the grievances of female inmates, and significantly improve medical facilities, sanitation, and nutritional standards.