Shimla: The Himachal Pradesh government has decided to stop bringing certain high-risk prisoners to court in person. From now on, these inmates will appear only through video conferencing from inside the jail.
The Home Department issued a formal notification for this change. The main reason behind the move is to reduce security risks during the transportation of dangerous prisoners. Officials said that moving such inmates has often created tense situations for police and posed threats to public safety.
This new rule will apply to prisoners involved in serious cases. The list includes those booked under UAPA and National Security Act, terror-related activities, organised crime, and serial killers. It also covers people facing multiple murder or attempted murder charges, major NDPS drug cases, gangsters, armed dacoits, extortionists, anti-state offenders, and serious POCSO cases.
A senior officer said that escorting these prisoners to court always required heavy security arrangements. Even then, the risk remained high. “There have been several incidents in the past where such movements created problems. This decision will help reduce the burden and danger on police personnel,” he added.
The order has been issued under Section 303 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) 2023. All jails in the state have been asked to make proper arrangements for smooth video conferencing.
For the police department, this is being seen as a big relief. Earlier, taking high-risk prisoners out of jail meant deploying large teams, spending time and resources, and staying on high alert throughout. Many of these prisoners still have active networks outside, which added to the worry.
Some lawyers feel that physical appearance in court allows better interaction between the accused and their legal team. However, the government has made it clear that the step is only meant to strengthen security and not to deny fair trial. With better technology, video conferencing is now considered reliable for such cases.
The new system is already in effect. This decision is being viewed as a practical measure by the Himachal government to improve safety while keeping the judicial process running.
