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(2) If an accused person pleads 'Guilty' that plea shall be recorded as the finding of the Court but before it is recorded, the Court shall ascertain that the accused understands the nature of the charge to which he has pleaded guilty and shall inform him of the general effect of that plea, and in particular of the meaning of the charge to which he has pleaded guilty, and of the difference in procedure which will be made by the plea of guilty and shall advise him to withdraw that plea if it appears from the record or abstract of evidence (if any) or otherwise that the accused ought to plead not guilty.

59. If an accused person pleads guilty to the charges, the Security Force Court is required to comply with the requirements of sub-rule 2 of rule 142. Such plea is mandatorily to be recorded as the finding of the court but before it is so recorded, the court is required to ascertain that the accused understands the nature of the charge to which he has pleaded guilty. The court is required to inform him of the general effect of that plea, and in particular of the meaning of the charge to which he has pleaded guilty. The court is also required to inform the accused person of the difference in procedure which will be followed by the court upon the accused entering a plea of guilty and shall advise him to withdraw that plea if it appears from the record or abstract of evidence (if any) or otherwise that the accused ought to plead not guilty.

"The other point which has been made basis for quashing the sentence awarded to respondent- accused relates to clause (2) of rule 115. Under this mandatory provision the court is required to ascertain, before it records plea of guilt of the accused, as to whether the accused undertakes the nature of the charge to which he has pleaded guilty and shall inform him of the general effect of that plea and in particular of the meaning of charge to which he has pleaded guilty. The Court is further required under this provision of law to advise the accused to withdraw that plea if it a appears from summary of evidence or otherwise that the accused ought to plead not guilty. How to follow this procedure is the main crux of the question involved in this case. Rule 125 provides that the court shall date and sign the sentence and such signatures shall authenticate of the same. We may take it that the signature of the accused are not required even after recording plea of guilt but as a matter of caution same should have been taken."

66. In Uma Shanker Pathak vs. UOI & Ors. 1989 (3) SLR 405 Allahabad High Court had occasion to deal with this question and held that :-

"10. The provision embodies a wholesome provision which is clearly designed to ensure that an accused person should be fully forewarned about the implications of the charge and the effect of pleading guilty. The procedure prescribed for the trial of cases where the accused pleads guilty is radically different from that prescribed for trial of cases where the accused pleads 'not guilty'. The procedure in cases where the plea is of 'not guilty' is far more elaborate than in cases where the accused pleads 'guilty'. This is apparent from a comparison of the procedures laid down for these two classes of cases. It is in order to save a simple, unsuspecting and ignorant accused person from the effect of pleading guilty to the charge without being fully conscious of the nature thereof and the implications and general effect of that plea, that the framers of the rule have insisted that the court must ascertain that the accused fully understands the nature of the charge and the implications of pleading guilty to the same."