The plea filed by NGO Peoples Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) stated that when prison mulaqats had been stopped in 2020 due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, prison authorities provided telephone and video-conference facilities to prisoners to speak with their respective lawyers and relatives. However, this facility was abruptly stopped in 2021, Advocate Rebecca Gonsalves, appearing for PUCL, claimed.
Advocate General Ashutosh Kumbhakoni informed the Court that while he would seek instructions on this issue from the Inspector-General (Prisons), there was an apprehension of a security breach as it would be difficult to know who the inmates are talking to.
He argued that one of the possible reasons for shutting down video calling facilities was due to the resumption of physical mulaqats. Additionally, the inmates had call facilities made available through coin telephone boxes.
Gonsalves argued that the video-call facilities ought to be made permanent regardless.
The Court, however, opined that this was for the government to decide.
Source: Barandbench
