Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, May 24: High Court today has sought a complete report from the jail authorities with regard to the condition of prisoners and details of intake capacity of prisoners in each jail in Jammu and Kashmir.
The division bench of Chief Justice Pankaj Mithal and Justice Moksha Kazmi in a public interest litigation which is in connection with the issue of amendment of the jail manual of the Union Territory of J&K as well as the Union Territory of Ladakh so as to bring it in consonance with jail manual of the Tihar Jail, directed the Director General of Prisons to submit a complete report with full details of the capacity of each jail in UT.
The court also directed him to provide the information with regard to the number of prisoners and under trials lodged therein and about the existing conditions as also the proposal with regard to the construction of any new jail.
The Union Counsel and Assistant Solicitor General of India T. M. Shamsi appearing for the Union Territory of Ladakh informed the court that the jail manual has been amended and has been published. He also submitted that the same has been uploaded on the official website of the Union Territory of Ladakh. He further submitted that the jail manual of the Union Territory of Ladakh is now in consonance with the jail manual of the Tihar Jail rather much advanced.
Court in view of these submissions as made by the union counsel, asked all the stakeholders to go through the said revised and amended jail manual and file objections if required. With regard to the up-gradation of the jail manual of the Union Territory of J&K, a statement on the last hearing of the case was made that it has been revised and shall be placed before the Court on the next date,
But today Government counsel appearing for the Union Territory of J&K was unable to make any submission in regard to the revision /amendment of the jail manual of the J&K. The Government counsel has sought some time for bringing on record the amended and revised jail manual. Court accepted the prayer and granted further two weeks’ time to do the needful. Court recorded that in failure of bringing the revised jail manual before the court, an exemplary cost of Rs 10, 000 has been asked to be deposited before the Registry.
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