Nirbhaya Disha is a campaign to improve the law-and-order policy and budget allocations to improve the Women Safety situation in the country.
Karnataka
Justice Delayed is Justice Denied, and that is what is exactly happening in Karnataka with 95 cases of rape remaining pending for testing before the Forensic Sciences Laboratories (FSLs) , as of Feb 2021.
The following are some of the severe issues raised by the Karnataka High Court that should be fixed immediately:
- 35,738 samples await tests in 6,994 cases
- FSLs are taking 12 to 18 months to complete DNA test.There are no guidelines on timeline for completion and monitoring of tests once samples reach the FSLs.
- Only two of the 13 testing sections are available in the Regional FSLs.
- FSLs lack sufficient human resources owing to vacancies as all three posts (100%) of joint director are vacant; five out of the 10 posts (50%) of deputy director; 18 of the 46 posts (40%) of assistant director; 35 out of the 88 posts (40%) of senior scientific officer; and 138 of the 186 posts (75%) of scientific officer are vacant.
We therefore urge the Government of Karnataka to :
- Fill the vacancies in FSLs
- Staff the FSLs, RFSLs and Mobile FSLs in enough numbers to reduce the average sample wait time to less than 2 months.
- Ensure that quality of reports emanating from the FSLs are self-speaking, demonstrative, precise and thereby help the judiciary in justice delivery.
- Form legal measures for mandatory forensic presence at the Scene of Crime in heinous crimes.
- Give yearly updates in the Legislative Assembly on the effectiveness of measures taken and reduction in pending cases.
- Implement the recommendations of 2011 Scientific Performance Audit Committee (SPAC) report presented to Directorate of Forensic Science Services, Ministry of Home Affairs, Govt of India.
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