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SC sets up panel to recommend jail reforms

Last Updated 25 September 2018, 15:45 IST

The Supreme Court on Tuesday set up a three-member committee, headed by former apex court judge Amitava Roy, to look into “the entire range of issues” of jail reforms across the country and make recommendations.

A bench of Justices Madan B Lokur, S Abdul Nazeer and Deepak Gupta said the committee would "examine the extent of overcrowding in prisons and correctional homes and recommend remedial measures, including an examination of the functioning of under trial review committees, availability of legal aid and advice, grant of remission, parole and furlough".

The panel would also comprise Inspector General of Police of Bureau of Police Research and Development and Director General (Prisons) of Delhi's Tihar Jail.

The court directed the Ministry of Home Affairs to issue forthwith a notification constituting the 'Supreme Court Committee on Prison Reforms'.

It said the committee would review the implementation of the guidelines contained in the Model Prison Manual 2016 by states and Union Territories (UTs) and also recommendations made by the Parliamentary Committee on Empowerment of Women in its report tabled in Parliament titled 'Women in Detention and Access to Justice'.

Acting on a suggestion made by Attorney General K K Venugopal, the court passed its order as a part of continuous mandamus on a suo motu PIL instituted as 'Re- Inhuman Conditions in 1382 Prisons'.

In its judgement, the court said the committee would also recommend steps for the psycho-social well-being of minor children of women prisoners, including their education and health.

The court asked the committee to complete the collection of data and information and make appropriate recommendations preferably within a period of 12 months.

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(Published 25 September 2018, 15:37 IST)

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