Page 32 - PR Communication Age APRIL 2016

ing' public servants by threatening to tee in districts to meet every quarter SC asks Centre to reply to
expose corruption. and take steps for the release of under- contempt against GEAC
trials and convicts who have undergone
Treat prisoners with dig- their sentence or are entitled to release The Supreme Court has asked the
nity and sympathy: SC because of remission granted to them. Union government through attorney
general Mukul Rohatgi to reply to a
A prisoner is entitled to be treated "The Committee should specifically look contempt petition filed against the
with dignity and sympathy, said the into aspects pertaining to effective Genetic Engineering Appraisal Com-
Supreme Court while directing the implementation of Section 436 of the mittee (GEAC) for allowing field trials
Centre and State governments to pro- CrPC and Section 436A of the CrPC so of genetically modified (GM) crops al-
vide all basic facilities to jail inmates that under-trial prisoners are released legedly against the court's orders.
commensurate with human dignity. at the earliest and those who cannot
furnish bail bond due to their poverty The contempt petition, filed by activ-
A bench of Justices Madan B Lokur and are not subjected to incarceration only ist Aruna Rodrigues, comes at a time
R K Agrawal passed a slew of directions for that reason," it said. Expressing when the GEAC is likely to decide on
to reduce the number of prisoners in concern over poor quality of legal aid commercial cultivation of GM mustard.
overcrowded jails and directed the provided to indigent litigants, the The contempt petition, claimed that
prison authorities to take steps to re- bench directed State Legal Services the field trials held for herbicide toler-
lease those who are languishing in jail Authority to hire adequate number of ant crops of mustard, cotton and corn
for not being able to pay the bail bond. competent lawyers to provide free le- ignored bio-safety precautions as di-
gal advice to the poor accused. rected by the apex court.
It directed Undertrial Review Commit-

Helping accident victims won't land you in trouble

Reporting a road accident to police or taking a victim to hospital will no longer be a harrowing experience for good
Samaritans. A Central government notification that provides protection to witnesses in accident cases will soon be-
come the law of the land with the Supreme Court saying it will incorporate the guidelines in a judicial order so that all
states are bound by it.

The move is expected to save the lives of hundreds of road accident victims in the country as people often avoid
helping them fearing harassment later by police and other law enforcing agencies. On May 12, 2015, the ministry of
road transport and highways issued a notification after the SC asked it to come out with suitable guidelines to prevent
harassment of good Samaritans.

The order came on a PIL filed by an NGO, Savelife Foundation, which said more than 4 lakh road accidents took place
in 2014. The number of deaths also increased from 1.37 lakh in 2013 to 1.39 lakh in 2014. Once implemented, a
bystander including an eyewitness to a road mishap shall be allowed to leave immediately after taking the injured to
the nearest hospital without furnishing his address. The police cannot compel people to reveal their identity even if he
is the informer or complainant in the case. The person can give his or her name voluntarily.

Besides, no police official shall ask him any questions and he would be later given a choice to record his statement
before the court through video conferencing. Departmental or disciplinary action shall be initiated against the officer
who coerces or intimidates the informer. If the witness volunteers to go before the court to depose in the case, the
trial judge shall complete his examination in one sitting.

Additional solicitor general Pinky Anand submitted that it was not possible for the Centre to issue a mandate to the
states. Under the Indian Constitution, law and order is a state subject. The judicial order will also incorporate the
Centre's guidelines stating that all registered public and private hospitals will not detain a good Samaritan or demand
payment for registration and admission costs. (Source: Hindustan Times)

32 PR COMMUNICAT ION AGE April 2016