The Supreme Court recently suggested having more open prisons across the country like in Rajasthan [Suhas Chakma vs Union of India and ors]..A Bench of Justices BR Gavai and Sandeep Mehta noted that the same could be a solution to address overcrowding in prisons and could also facilitate rehabilitation of prisoners."Such a system allows prisoners to interact with the community and earn their living during the day and then come back to the jail in the evening," Justice Sandeep Mehta who hails from Rajasthan remarked.It, therefore, appointed one more Amicus Curiae in an ongoing case relating to prisoners' welfare. It also asked the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) to assist it in the matter. "We therefore request Mr. K Parameswar, who has worked on these issues, to assist us as Amicus, in addition to Mr Vijay Hansaria who is already assisting us. We also request Ms. Rashmi Nandakumar who appears on behalf of NALSA also to assist us next Thursday," the bench said in its order..The bench was hearing a 2020 public interest litigation (PIL) petition filed by one Suhas Chakma regarding the welfare of prisoners..The Indian judiciary has in recent times advocated greater use of open air prisons or open jails.The Chhattisgarh High Court had in March ordered the State government to conduct research and examine whether it would be feasible to implement the concept in the State.The Allahabad High Court too had recently directed the Uttar Pradesh government to study the concept of 'open jails' for the welfare of convicts serving time in jail.
The Supreme Court recently suggested having more open prisons across the country like in Rajasthan [Suhas Chakma vs Union of India and ors]..A Bench of Justices BR Gavai and Sandeep Mehta noted that the same could be a solution to address overcrowding in prisons and could also facilitate rehabilitation of prisoners."Such a system allows prisoners to interact with the community and earn their living during the day and then come back to the jail in the evening," Justice Sandeep Mehta who hails from Rajasthan remarked.It, therefore, appointed one more Amicus Curiae in an ongoing case relating to prisoners' welfare. It also asked the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) to assist it in the matter. "We therefore request Mr. K Parameswar, who has worked on these issues, to assist us as Amicus, in addition to Mr Vijay Hansaria who is already assisting us. We also request Ms. Rashmi Nandakumar who appears on behalf of NALSA also to assist us next Thursday," the bench said in its order..The bench was hearing a 2020 public interest litigation (PIL) petition filed by one Suhas Chakma regarding the welfare of prisoners..The Indian judiciary has in recent times advocated greater use of open air prisons or open jails.The Chhattisgarh High Court had in March ordered the State government to conduct research and examine whether it would be feasible to implement the concept in the State.The Allahabad High Court too had recently directed the Uttar Pradesh government to study the concept of 'open jails' for the welfare of convicts serving time in jail.
