Speeding Up Bail for the Poor: Union Home Ministry Issues Revised Guidelines After Supreme Court Directions
Background of the Support to Poor Prisoners Scheme (2023) The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) launched the Support to Poor Prisoners Scheme in 2023 to assist undertrial prisoners who were granted bail by courts but continued to remain in jail due to inability to furnish bail bonds or financial sureties . Under the scheme: Financial assistance is provided to States/UTs Funds may be used only in cases where bail has already been granted Assistance covers bail amount or surety shortfall However, a Supreme Court order dated 8 October 2025 directed: Review of the scheme framework Assessment of ground-level implementation Strengthening monitoring and release procedures The recent MHA advisory and revised guidelines have been issued in compliance with that order . Supreme Court Trigger for the Policy Revision The Supreme Court had expressed concern that: Thousands of undertrials remain in jail Despite bail orders by courts Only because they cannot afford bail amounts The Court treated this a...