<br/>In a bid to decongest over-crowded prisons in the capital, a Delhi Court on Wednesday conducted a special hearing to facilitate release of undertrials languishing in jails in connection with petty offences.<br/><br/>Union Law Minister M Veerappa Moily and Delhi High Court Justice Madan B Lokur witnessed the special court proceedings, undertaken in pursuance of a recent government plan to release on bail the offenders involved in petty offences.<br/><br/>1.74 lakh undertrials are languishing in several jails in the country and such attempts will help in decongestion of jails.<br/><br/>Moily told reporters outside the courtroom that there are plans to ensure that at least two third of such undertrials are freed by July this year.<br/><br/>Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Ajay Pandey, who is to hear over 40 such cases on Wednesday, has so far ordered release of six such offenders. Mr Moily said, there are 1500 jails in the country with a capacity to house two lakh prisoners, but the total number of prisoners including undertrials is pegged at three lakh.