NEW DELHI: Criticising the apathy of states and Union Territories towards prisoners' human rights in overcrowded jails, the Supreme Court warned administrators general of prisons of contempt of court action in the event that they didn't post plans inside two weeks to decongest jails, that have been packed to 150% in their capability, and in a single case at 609%.
Referring to overcrowding of jails, for which the SC has been unsuccessfully asking states for a decongestion plan since May 6, 2016, a bench of Justices Madan B Lokur and Deepak Gupta mentioned, "This is extremely unfortunate and clearly suggests complete lack of commitment of state governments and UTs to the human rights of prisoners and also indicates the failure of under-trial review committees to take their responsibility seriously."
The bench asked the governments of Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Punjab, Delhi, Goa, Madhya Pradesh, Assam and Bihar to respond to amicus curiae Gaurav Agrawal's question when it comes to rights, including solitary confinement, legal representation and session with family members of prisoners who've been awarded death penalty.
Agrawal mentioned a large number of jails had been overcrowded well above 150% in their capability and in a single case, it used to be 609%. The bench recalled that it asked states and U.s.on May 6, 2016, to organize a course of action to deal with overcrowding.
"This was reiterated on October 3, 2016, and a deadline for drafting prison decongestion plan was fixed for March 31, 2017. Not a single state or UT has furnished us any plan of action," the bench mentioned. It mentioned failure post plans may just force the SC to factor contempt notices towards administrators general of police (prisons).
"We require the directors general of police (prisons) of state governments and UT administrations to specifically state on affidavit clearly and unequivocally the steps that have been taken to fill up the vacancies and progress made in that regard," the bench mentioned.
National Legal Services Authority informed the bench th- at of the entire sanctioned stren- gth of 77,230 prison group of workers in all jails, 22,548 posts (30%) had been vacant as on December 31, 2017. Agrawal mentioned his question on vacancy used to be met with a regimen answer that filling the posts used to be underway without indicating the degree of the method.
The court used to be informed that some type of same old operating procedures for under-trial assessment committees had been ready in session with Nalsa and 18 states/U.s.had equipped their feedback. The SC granted two weeks to the remaining states and U.s.to reply with their feedback.
Referring to overcrowding of jails, for which the SC has been unsuccessfully asking states for a decongestion plan since May 6, 2016, a bench of Justices Madan B Lokur and Deepak Gupta mentioned, "This is extremely unfortunate and clearly suggests complete lack of commitment of state governments and UTs to the human rights of prisoners and also indicates the failure of under-trial review committees to take their responsibility seriously."
The bench asked the governments of Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Punjab, Delhi, Goa, Madhya Pradesh, Assam and Bihar to respond to amicus curiae Gaurav Agrawal's question when it comes to rights, including solitary confinement, legal representation and session with family members of prisoners who've been awarded death penalty.
Agrawal mentioned a large number of jails had been overcrowded well above 150% in their capability and in a single case, it used to be 609%. The bench recalled that it asked states and U.s.on May 6, 2016, to organize a course of action to deal with overcrowding.
"This was reiterated on October 3, 2016, and a deadline for drafting prison decongestion plan was fixed for March 31, 2017. Not a single state or UT has furnished us any plan of action," the bench mentioned. It mentioned failure post plans may just force the SC to factor contempt notices towards administrators general of police (prisons).
"We require the directors general of police (prisons) of state governments and UT administrations to specifically state on affidavit clearly and unequivocally the steps that have been taken to fill up the vacancies and progress made in that regard," the bench mentioned.
National Legal Services Authority informed the bench th- at of the entire sanctioned stren- gth of 77,230 prison group of workers in all jails, 22,548 posts (30%) had been vacant as on December 31, 2017. Agrawal mentioned his question on vacancy used to be met with a regimen answer that filling the posts used to be underway without indicating the degree of the method.
The court used to be informed that some type of same old operating procedures for under-trial assessment committees had been ready in session with Nalsa and 18 states/U.s.had equipped their feedback. The SC granted two weeks to the remaining states and U.s.to reply with their feedback.
Jails overcrowded up to 600 times: SC slams states
![Jails overcrowded up to 600 times: SC slams states]()
Reviewed by Kailash
on
March 31, 2018
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