Report No. 78

6.2. Need to liberalise provisions for release on bond.-

But the scope of these provisions is limited. It appears to us that there is need to widen the scope of the power to release on personal bond in certain respects. Experience shows that quite a large number of under-trial prisoners are unable to secure release because of their inability to find sureties. Such inability may arise because of their poverty, social conditions, want of contacts in the locality in which they are arrested or similar other factors over which they have no control. prima facie, there is a case for liberalising the present provisions for release on bond without sureties. We propose to consider the matter first with reference to bailable offences1 and next with reference to non-bailable offences.2

1. Para. 6.5, infra.

2. Para. 76.4, infra.