SC Orders States & UTs To Submit Open Jail Reposts In 4 Weeks

The Supreme Court has instructed many states and Union Territories (UTs) to furnish detailed information about the operation of open jails within four weeks. Semi-open or open prisons allow inmates to work outside the jail during the day and return in the evening. The notion was created to help criminals integrate into society and relieve psychological burdens as they struggled to conduct normal lives outside of prison.

Senior counsel K Parameshwar, who is assisting the Supreme Court as an amicus curiae in a case involving jail congestion, informed a bench of Justices B R Gavai and K V Viswanathan that several states and UTs were yet to file their reply. The court noticed that states and union territories such as Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Punjab have yet to submit qualitative/quantitative charts, despite the distribution of a questionnaire seeking information on the status and operation of open correctional institutions and whether such institutions exist within their jurisdiction.

"We, therefore, direct that all the States/Union Territories, which have not yet filed their response, file a complete response within a period of four weeks from today",

The bench said in its August 20 ruling. It stated that states and UTs that have not provided complete information must also ensure compliance within four weeks.

"We further clarify that if any of the state governments or Union Territories do not respond in terms of the orders passed by this court, we will be compelled to direct the presence of the chief secretary of the states/Union Territories concerned before this court"

The bench said, reserving the matter for further consideration in four weeks.
The Supreme Court remarked that on July 15, it instructed the chief secretaries of various states and union territories to submit their responses on the subject of open jails. The amicus informed the court that the states and union territories of Gujarat, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Maharashtra, Manipur, Nagaland, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu, Lakshadweep, Puducherry, and Ladakh had yet to file their reply.

While hearing the case on May 9, the Supreme Court noted that establishing open jails could be one answer to congestion while simultaneously addressing the issue of prisoner rehabilitation. In its May 17 ruling, the bench noted the amicus's contention that the Union of India has created a model draft manual under the appellation's open correctional institutions for such facilities.

Author:
Aarya Kadam (News Writer) is a final-year BBA student and a creative writer with a passion for current affairs and legal judgments.