THE GOAN NETWORK
PANAJI
In a move aimed at easing legal hurdles faced by prisoners seeking bail, the High Court of Bombay at Goa has authorised the Superintendent of Central Jail, Colvale, to administer oaths and affirmations for affidavits filed in support of bail applications.
The order was passed on Thursday during the hearing of a bail application filed by Prasad Walke, who is currently lodged at Colvale jail. His counsel brought to the court’s attention the difficulties faced by inmates in getting affidavits attested, highlighting the delays and financial burden involved in arranging for notaries to visit the prison.
The court was informed that these hurdles disproportionately affect prisoners who cannot afford the additional expenses, potentially delaying their access to legal remedies.
Until now, prison officials did not have the authority to administer oaths for such affidavits. Consequently, documents attested by jail staff could not be accepted by the High Court registry, leaving inmates dependent on external notaries to complete the required formalities.
To address the issue, the High Court relied on a similar order passed by a Division Bench in Kolhapur and exercised its powers under the Oaths Act to authorise the Colvale jail superintendent to administer oaths and affirmations specifically for affidavits required in bail applications.
The court has further directed that such affidavits must be processed within 24 hours of being presented to the superintendent, ensuring that procedural requirements do not cause avoidable delays in seeking bail.
