📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Harvinder Chandigarh
National
73% of India's Prison Inmates Are Undertrials Amid Overcrowding
✍️ The New Indian Express
🗓 06 Sep 2026, 07:43 AM
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Data shows that nearly three‑quarters of India's prison population consists of undertrial prisoners, highlighting severe overcrowding in jails across the country.
The New Indian Express reports that 73% of inmates in Indian prisons are awaiting trial, meaning they have not been convicted. This high proportion points to significant overcrowding in correctional facilities nationwide. The situation reflects delays in judicial proceedings and strains prison resources. Authorities have long cited undertrial backlog as a key factor in prison congestion. Addressing the issue requires faster case disposal and alternative measures to reduce inmate numbers.