Suggest NGO name to study prisons: HC to govt

The High court on Thursday asked the state government to suggest the name of an NGO to inspect and suggest measures to improve the conditions at the prisons across the state.

The Prisons Department submitted a statement before the court on the overcrowding in the prisons. The affidavit stated that the overall occupancy percentage of prisons in the state at present stands at 96% with the population of 14,535 as against the capacity of 15,083. According to the affidavit, of the 47 prisons across the state, 13 are overcrowded.

The affidavit further stated that several proactive steps were taken after the order of the Supreme Court in March 2020. This includes the transfer of 575 prisoners from nine overcrowded prisons to 15 other prisons. The affidavit said the overall occupancy percentage was reduced from 110 to 96.

As an augmentation process, four central and four taluk prisons with an additional capacity of 4,339 prisoners are at various stages of construction. “This will increase the total accommodation capacity for prisons in the state from the present 15,083 to 19,422, thus augmenting the capacity of state prisons by almost 29%,” the affidavit stated.

It also stated that as on March 23, 2020, the overcrowding at the Bengaluru Central Prison was almost 134%. The overcrowding was brought down by almost 22% by creating an additional capacity of 760 by creating a new prison block.

A division bench, headed by Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka, asked the state government to indicate the name of a reputed NGO for undertaking the inspection of prisons across the state. The bench said that the agency would visit the prisons and inspect and suggest measures with regard to the facilities, including diet and general hygiene in the prisons.