Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Feb 11: As the Government has submitted the Draft Prison Rules before the committee for its examination, the High Court today granted time for the same and sought status report on jail conditions across the State.
Hearing a suo moto cognizance of a letter addressed by Supreme Court for condition of jails and jail inmates, Prison authorities and District legal Services Authority (DALSA) are under direction that after obtaining the draft jail manual from Delhi to examine the same in order to see there is need to any change in light of court directions so that likewise manual is applied in the J&K State as well.
In this connection, DALSA is also required to obtain the copy of draft of the jail manual from Delhi Legal Services Authority to enable the examination of the same in the J&K State as well.
The Division Bench of Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice Sanjeev Kumar granted time after the Court has been informed by the State counsel that the draft Prison Manual is before the committee for its examination as such sought some time to apprise the Court about the committee’s decision.
It is Dr Mehraj-ud-Din, Vice Chancellor, Central University Kashmir, and Dr V K Kapoor, former Head of the Law Department of Jammu University, who have extensively worked on the Prison Manual etc as Court had directed Prison Authorities and the State Government to take the assistance of these experts given the fact that they have worked on the Jail Manual earlier.
For condition of jails and jail inmates, Court has directed the State counsel to apprise the Court about the jail conditions across the State in shape of a status report. For this purpose District Judges have to submit their visiting reports of jails falling into their jurisdictions.
Authorities are under direction to ensure that the inmates of the jail who are facing trial in different courts are produced before the court whenever production is directed by the trial court.
Report with regard to a complaint about the condition of some jail inmates in Central Jail Srinagar has been filed by the police authorities and court asked the State counsel to provide the report of the said complaint to the counsel representing State Legal Services Authorities for examination.
It may be noted that the previous report of Home Department filed by Additional Secretary to Government Home Department, Srinagar revealed that a meeting was called for removing various deficiencies like drinking water at Central Jail, Srinagar and non-availability of Ambulances in Jails, providing of a contingent of escort for full time to meet the emergency situation like ailment in the Central Jail, providing of services of B-Grade specialist or Assistant Surgeon to the inmates and arrangement for segregation of inmates in respective class as per the Jail Manual.
The Home department, the report showed, has also impressed upon all Jail Authorities to implement the directions issued by the High Court in letter and spirit and provide food to the inmates on time in the evening, Court observed.
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