Mr. MacCALLUM SCOTTasked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether, in view of the abuses which had been shown to exist under the present law in connection with confessions extorted by the police from suspected persons in India, he could give an assurance that the sections of the Criminal Procedure Code which allowed the police to obtain confessions from prisoners detained in police custody, and then had them recorded before a magistrate for the purpose of being used against the prisoner at his trial, would be repealed or amended at the next session of the Viceroy's Legislative Council?
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for INDIA (Mr. Montagu)The Secretary of State will inquire of the Government of India when effect is likely to be given to the changes indicated as being under consideration in my reply to my hon. Friend's question of the 29th June. I may mention that in the meantime the various administrative orders governing the recording of confessions in the different provinces have been collated by the Government of India who are about to issue instructions to local governments where necessary to supplement their orders with new rules providing greater safeguards against abuse.
§ Mr. WEDGWOODWill these new orders include an extension of the Bombay order to other provinces of India?
§ Mr. MONTAGUI cannot say yet. As soon as I am in a position to say, I propose to lay before the House all the information with regard to the new orders.