Thaindian News

New Delhi, May 5 (IANS) The Supreme Court Wednesday ruled against forced narco, polygraph and brain mapping tests but said a person can voluntarily submit to undergo the tests to establish his or her innocence.
In such cases, guidelines issued by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) would have to be observed, the court said.

The NHRC published the “Guidelines for the administration of polygraph test (lie detector test) on an accused” in 2000.

These guidelines are:

– No lie detector test should be administered except on the basis of consent of the accused. An option should be given to the accused whether he wishes to avail such a test.

– If the accused volunteers for a lie detector test, he should be given access to a lawyer and the physical, emotional and legal implication of such a test should be explained to him by police and his lawyer.

– The consent should be recorded before a judicial magistrate.

– During the hearing before the magistrate, the person alleged to have agreed should be duly represented by a lawyer.

– At the hearing, the person in question should also be told in clear terms that the statement that is made shall not be a “confessional” statement to the magistrate but will have the status of a statement made to police.

– The magistrate shall consider all factors relating to the detention including the length of detention and the nature of the interrogation.

– The actual recording of the lie detector test shall be done by an independent agency (such as a hospital) and conducted in the presence of a lawyer.

– A full medical and factual narration of the manner of the information received must be taken on record.