Supreme Court constitutes committee to look into prison reforms

• The Supreme Court constituted a three-member committee headed by its former judge Justice Amitava Roy to look into the aspect of jail reforms across the country and suggest measures to deal with them.
• This panel will look into the issues including over-crowding in prisons.
• The Supreme court had reserved its order on the issue of constituting a committee to deal with issues pertaining to jails and suggest reforms for prisons across the country.
• The committee will also look into the various issues concerning women prisoners. The bench was hearing a matter relating to inhuman conditions in 1,382 prisons across India.

Analysis:

• In the last half century, the superior courts have passed a series of orders to reform jails.
• The issues range from prisoners’ rights, health, hygiene and access to legal aid, to the condition of women inmates and their children.
• The judiciary’s approach has been anchored in the belief that fundamental rights “do not part company with the prisoner at the gates”.
• According to a model jail manual released , It makes clear that the state is under an obligation to protect the residuary rights of prisoners after they surrender their liberty to a legal process. One can only reiterate a principle already enshrined in it: the management of prisons must be marked by firm discipline, but also due regard to the human rights of prisoners.
• Prison reforms are not only about amenities and conditions; they must also address the prisoner’s right to life.

By: Vishal