Bhubaneswar, Dec. 30: Orissa government has finally decided to amend Criminal Procedure Code for enabling court trial of undertrial prisoners through video conferencing. The state cabinet yesterday approved the home department proposal to this effect.

The objective of the video conferencing of under trials will lessen pressure on transportation and security provided to undertrials during their production before court, said home secretary T.K. Mishra.

Sub-section two of section 167 of the CrPC would be amended to facilitate trial of prisoners through video conferencing; Mishra said adding such practices are already in vogue in several states including Andhra Pradesh and Delhi.

The Centre will provide financial assistance to the state under e-court programme and the National Informatics Centre will assist the Orissa government in implementing the programme which will be executed in jails of Bhubaneswar, Berhampur, Choudwar, Rourkela and Sambalpur.

The state cabinet also reversed its earlier decision on the contentious reservation issue by enhancing the quota for socially and economically backward classes from 11.25 to 27 percent.

The cabinet approved the proposal for enacting a law to provide reservation in the civil post and services to the extent of 27 per cent.

After the legislation is passed, the government will request the Centre to put it in the Ninth Schedule to make it beyond judicial review, as in the case of Tamil Nadu, said chief secretary Ajit Kumar Tripathy.