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Contents
What is the News?
The Supreme Court has approved the use of an electronic system named FASTER (Fast and Secured Transmission of Electronic Records) for the transmission of e-authenticated copies of orders.
What is a FASTER System?
FASTER is a system by which crucial decisions including orders on bail and stay of arrest can be communicated electronically to prison authorities and investigating agencies through a secure channel.
What is the significance of the FASTER system?
Firstly, the FASTER system will ensure that undertrials are not made to wait for days on end behind bars to be released because the certified hard copies of their bail orders took time to reach the prison.
Secondly, it would also prevent unnecessary arrests and custody of people even after the court had already granted them its protection. It may even communicate a stay on an execution ordered by the final court on time.
What is the progress on the implementation of the FASTER System?
The Supreme Court has directed all the States and Union Territories to ensure the availability of internet facilities with adequate speed in each and every jail. If there is no such connection then they have to take the necessary steps to arrange for internet facilities expeditiously.
Till then, the communication is directed to be made through the Nodal Officers of the State Governments under the FASTER system.
Source: This post is based on the article ”SC introduces FASTER system to send records” published in The Hindu on 24th September 2021.
