HYDERABAD: A division bench of the Hyderabad High Court on Thursday called for comprehensive reports from the state legal services authority of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana in four weeks with regard to the living conditions of undertrial women prisoners of various jails in both the states and the steps taken for welfare of their children.
The bench comprising Justice C V Nagarjuna Reddy and Justice M S K Jaiswal was dealing with a taken up PIL case based upon a letter written by the member secretary of AP State Legal Services Authority last year.
The member secretary, in his letter to the High Court, sought to issue appropriate directions to the authorities for enforcement of the rights of the juvenile offenders, women prisoners and their children, mentally challenged undertrials and convicts in the prisons of both the states.
The bench said that it would pass appropriate orders after going through the reports to be submitted by the member secretaries concerned about the situation of women undertrial prisoners and convicts. It expressed concern about the pitiable condition of the mentally challenged persons who are not involved in any crimes but being neglected by their family members leaving them to roam in public places.
While adjourning the case by four weeks, the bench directed the principal secretaries to social welfare departments of both the states to formulate terms and conditions to identify mentally-disabled who are not involved in any crimes.