P Chidambaram's Big Poll Promise: Law To Enforce 'Bail Is Rule' Principle

P Chidambaram also said that if the INDIA bloc comes to power at the Centre, it will repeal the Citizenship Amendment Act

Former Union Minister and Congress leader P Chidambaram said today that if the INDIA bloc comes to power at the Centre, it would enact a special law to bring into effect the legal principle established by the Supreme Court that "bail is the rule, and jail is the exception".

"We are also promising to bring a special law that would say, 'Bail is the rule, jail is the exception'. it was a great son of Kerala, Justice Krishna who emphasised this law," Mr Chidambaram said at a press conference here.

"This rule is rarely followed in the lower judiciary, magistrates, and district judges, ultimately, not everybody can go to the Supreme Court to get bail. 65 per cent of the prisoners are under trial; they are not convicts, so why are they in jail? 90 per cent of the undertrials are OBCs, SC and STs; therefore, we would bring a special law: 'Bail is the rule, jail is the exception' -- everybody after the first 15 days of interrogation by police or the CBI must be granted bail," he added.